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®bp  i.  1.  Mill  IGibrarg 


Nortli  (Earoliita  g'tatf  ImoprHttg 

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BEES  AND  BEE-KEEPING: 

A  PLAIN,  PRACTICAL  WORK; 


RESOLTING  TROM  TEARS  OF  EXTKRIENCE  AND  CLOSE  OBSERVATION  IN  EXTEN3IVR 
APIARIES,  BOTH  IN  FENNSTLVANIA  AND  CALIFORNIA. 


WITH      DIBECTI0K8 

HOW  TO  MARE  BEEKEEPING  A  DESIRABLE  AND  LDCRATIVE  BUSINESS, 

AND     FOa 

SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA. 


w.  c.  j:aiibison, 

FBACTICAL  AFLARIAN. 


NEW   YORK: 
C.  M.  SAXTON,  BARKER  &  CO. 

AGRICULTURAL   BOOK    PUBLISHERS,    No.   25   PARK   ROW. 
1860. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S60,  by 
W.    C.    HARBISON, 

In  tho  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Western  District 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

«.  1.  BAvzy,  pBivTss  Aim  srEBZOTTrEB,  rirrsBDBau,  ta. 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  this  treatise,  having  been  taught  from  youth 
to  work  with  Bees,  ever  admiring  their  great  sagacity,  industry 
and  perseverance,  and  desiring  to  turn  their  industry  to  ac- 
count as  a  matter  of  profit,  directed  all  his  efforts  to  acquire 
a  correct  knowledge  of  their  habits,  wants  and  requirements 
necessary  to  continued  prosperity  and  profit. 

He  observed,  years  ago,  that  when  the  seasons  were  fa- 
vorable for  producing  abundance  of  honey,  bees  invariably 
flourished  and  increased  rapidly,  yielding  large  returns  in  the 
shape  of  surplus  honey,  bidding  defiance  to  worms  and  all 
other  enemies,  being  evidently  prosperous  and  happy;  but 
when  scarcity  prevailed,  the  very  reverse  of  this  condition  of 
things  was  true;  adversity  took  the  place  of  prosperity — some 
would  starve,  others  would  fall  a  prey  to  their  enemies.  The 
succession  of  honey-producing  flowers  has  been  materially 
influenced  by  the  clearing  up  and  bringing  under  cultivation 
of  our  lands,  essentially  changing  the  condition  of  things, 
affecting  the  prosperity  of  bees  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year,  in  about  the  same  ratio  that  it  has  cattle  or  other  stock 
which  was  permitted  to  run  in  the  woods,  as  it  was  called 
(when  their  pasture  grounds  were  fenced  in,  then  supplies 


IV  PREFACE. 

were  cut  ofiQ;  with  this  difference,  that  for  all  other  stock 
provision  has  been  made  to  suit  the  change  of  circumstances, 
but  tor  bees  no  care  has  been  manifested,  hence  they  have  been 
steadily  decreasing  in  numbers  in  the  older  settled  parts  of 
our  country,  until  the  fact  becomes  apparent,  that  without  a 
change  of  policy  in  this  direction  they  will  eventually  become 
extinct;  or  at  least  prevent  bee-keeping  from  assuming  any 
importance,  because  of  its  uncertainty. 

This  state  of  facts  led  me  to  inquire,  what  could  be  done  to 
render  bee-keeping  as  reliable  and  certain  in  its  results  as 
other  rural  pursuits.  Having  examined  all  the  works  on  bee 
culture  that  I  could  procure  (some  of  which  were  verj-  valu- 
able), all  failed  to  point  out  a  practical  plan  to  feed  bees,  or 
supply  them  with  a  uniform  succession  of  flowers,  or  pasturage, 
suflBcient  to  keep  them  as  prosperous  as  when  wild  flowers 
abounded.  We  are  told,  it  is  true,  to  feed  them  a  little  in  the 
field  to  keep  them  from  starving  through  the  winter  or  early 
spring;  but  they  rather  discountenance  feeding  for  any  other 
purpose  or  providing  pasturage  with  a  view  to  keep  them  con- 
stantly advancing  from  spring  to  fall.  Being  well  assured  that 
it  would  pay  better  to  keep  bees  employed  from  early  spring 
until  fall,  than  to  let  them  remain  idle  for  want  of  something 
to  do,  I  adopted  the  plan  of  either  feeding,  as  directed  in  the 
chapter  on  feeding,  or  cultivated  such  crops  as  would  furnish 
them  with  abundant  supplies.  This  plan  I  have  practiced  for 
some  time  past  both  in  Pennsylvania  and  California,  to  which 
latter  State,  in  connection  with  J.  S.  Harbison,  of  Sacramento, 
I  made  two  large  and  successful  shipments  of  bees. 


PREFACE.  V 

The  results  of  my  practice,  and  the  success  that  has  invari- 
ably crowned  my  eft'orts  in  the  management  of  bees,  has  been 
favorably  and  extensively  noticed  by  the  press,  and  has 
induced  persons  from  various  parts  of  the  United  States  to 
write  letters  of  inquiry  respecting  my  mode  of  managing 
bees,  leading  to  such  satisfactory  results;  these  letters  have 
accumulated  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  is  impossible  to  answer 
each  personally  and  satisfactorily;  hence  I  concluded  to  give  to 
the  public  a  synopsis  of  my  experience,  with  such  hints  and 
suggestions  as  may  possibly  benefit  some  bee-keepers  and  ad- 
vance the  general  interest. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to 
Mr.  Quinby,  for  extracts  from  his  valuable  work  entitled  "The 
Mysteries  of  Bee-Keeping  Explained,"  and  also  for  other  valu- 
able matter  kindly  furnished  by  him.  Although  we  may  diflfer 
upon  some  minor  points  in  practice,  there  is  but  little  differ- 
ence as  regards  the  general  and  leading  features  of  bee-keeping. 

I  am  also  indebted  to  Bevan's  work  on  bees  for  valuable  ex- 
tracts. 

I  would  here  tender  my  thanks  to  the  Rev.  J.  Lewis  Shuck, 
of  Sacramento,  California,  for  an  article  on  bees  and  bee-keep- 
ing in  China. 

In  presenting  this  work  to  the  public,  I  disclaim  any  pre- 
tensions to  literary  attainments;  ray  only  object  has  been  to 
impart  to  others  a  knowledge  of  my  experience. 

1* 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 
HISTORY  AND  PHYSIOLOaY  OF  THE  HONEY  BEE. 


The  que«n,  -        -        •        -        -    11 

Description  of  the  queen,  -  -  12 
Does  the  queen  govern  the  colony,  -  13 
No  sovereignty  exercised  by  the  queen 

over  the  colony,  -        -        -    15 

The  economy  of  the  colony  directed  by 

workers,  -  -  -  -  -  19 
The  only  necessity  for  the  queen  in  to 

provide  eggs,  -  -  -  -  23 
No  *ggs  are  deposited  by  the  queen  in 

queen  cells,  -        -        -        -    26 


Do  worker  bees  accord  royal  honors  to 


queens,  .        .  .        . 

Mode  of  rearing  queens. 

Impregnation  of  queens,  - 
Ijingstroth's  theory, 

The  worker  bee,  .  .        . 

Description  of  the  working  bee, 

The  drone,  .        .  .        . 

Drone-laying  queens. 

Fertile  workers,  .  .        . 


Roaring  brood, 
Mode  of  commencing,     - 
Mode  of  laying  eggs  described. 
Description  of  the  eggs. 


SPRING. 

CHAPTER   II. 

BREEDING  OF  BEES. 

-    67        Young  bees  reared  without  water. 


71 


68  When  and  how  brood  is  reared  up  and 

69  perfected, ' 

69        Quantity  of  egga  laid  by  a  queen. 


CHAPTER   III. 
WAX. 


Analysis  of  wax, 


Bee  braad,  or  pollen. 


Comb,  or  architecture  of  bees, 
Economy  of  materials. 


CHAPTER    IV. 
BEE-BREAD,  OR  POLLEN. 

88        How  pollen  is  stored. 


(Vii) 


75 


90 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    V  . 
IIONKY. 
Different  qualities  of  honey,      -        -    93        Propolis,  or  bee-glue, 

CHAPTER   VI. 


No  danger  of  bees  roturnini 

a  milo  or  moro,    - 
Kind  of  stands, 
Another  method, 
Still  another  plan. 
Proper  height,     - 
Distance  between  hives, 
Bee  houses, 


THE  APIARY, 
if  removed  A  simple  shed  preferred,         •        •      105 

Another  method  of  corerlng,  •  -  100 
Procuring  bees  to  commence  an  apiary ,106 
Kind  of  stocks  to  buy,  -  -  -  107 
Proper  size  and  kind  of  hives,  -  108 
Transporting  boes  short  distances,  -  109 
Best  time  for  transporting  bees,     •      110 


-  100 
101 

-  102 
102 

-  103 
104 

-  104 


CHAPTER    VII. 
BEE  UIVE9. 
Improved  movable  comb  hives,        -  115        Specifications, 


Langstroth's  hive,           ...      hq 
Harbison's   improved   movable    comb 
hive, 118 


Bill  of  lumber,     -       -        . 

Prames, 

Phelps'  movable  comb  hive, 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
HONEY  BOXES. 
Qlasa  boxes, 129        The  sectional  honey  box,    • 

CHAPTER   IX. 
BEE  PASTURAGE. 
Best  kind  of  early  pasturage,    -       -  133        Mustard  and  mignonette. 
The  next  pasturage,        -        -        -      134        Cephalanthus,  or  button-bueh, 
Early  summer  fl.xvers,       •        -        -  136        Buckwheat,      -        -        -        . 

SUMMER. 

CHAPTER    X. 

.MANAGEMENT  OF  BEES. 

143       How  to  transfer, 


How  to  conquer  bees, 
Protection, 


144 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ARTIFICIAL   SWARMS 

To  rear  queens  to    supply  artificial 

swarms, 14S 

Making  artificial  swarms,       -        -      149 
Another  method,        -        .        .        .  153 


122 
126 
127 
128 


130 


138 
140 
141 


146 


8tlll  another    plan  of  dividing  and 

making  nrtiflclal  swarms,    -        -  155 
How  to  strengthen  artificial  swarms,    158 
Plan  to  prevent  bees  leaving  new  col- 
onies and  returning  to  the  old  one,160 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


CHAPTER   XII. 

PKEDING. 
How  to  feed  boes,    ...        -      162        Effects  of  feeding,  versiis  non-feeding,  176 
The  importanoo  of  feeding  bees  con-  A  case  where  bees  were  not  fed,     •      177 

sidered, 164        How  to  manage  bees  in  common  box 

Kind  of  feed  used,      ....  iiig  hives, 181 

bevau  on  feeding,    -        -        -        -      171 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

NATURAL  SWARMING. 

Time  to  exi>ect  first  swarms,     -        -  186  IIow  to  prevent  swarms  from  leaving 

Ciiuse  of  swarming,         -        -        -      190  tlioir  hives,           ....  201 

Condition  of  things  necessary  for  swar-  What  bees  compose  the  new  swarm,    202 

ming 190  Cultivate   fruit   trees  in  or  near  tlie 

Requisites  before  preparation  of  queen  apiary, 204 

cells, 191  Swarms  clustering,     ...        -  205 

State  of  queen  cells  when  used,         -  192  Do  swarms  send  spies  to  seek  a  now 

The  state  when  swarms  issue,       -      193  home,     ...---  206 

OtluT  symptoms  immediately  preced-  Places  generally  selected  by  swarms,    207 

ing  the  issuing  of  a  swarm,    -      194  To    prevent  more  than    one    swarm 

The  vuxlus  operandi  of  swarming,    -  195  starting  at  one  time,         •        -      209 

Alighting  and  hiving  swarms,       -      19S        After-swarms, 212 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  BEES  PROFITABLE. 

How  to  make  boos  profitable  without  a  rapid  increase  of  colonies,     ...       -  217 

CHAPTER   XV. 
LOSS  OF  QUEENS. 

Cause  of  their  loss,     -        -        -       -222        The  result, 225 

■  Indication  of  the  loss,     -        -        -      224 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

MANAGEMENT   OF  HONEY. 
Putting  on  honey  boxes,        -        -      226        How  to  kill  worms  in  honey  boxes,   -  230 
Tailing  <rtf  surplus  honey,  ...  226        Packing  honey  boxes  for  carrying  to 
Keeping  and  marketing  honey,     -      228  market, 231 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

ENEMIES  OF  BEES. 
Enemies  of  bees,      .        -        -        -      232    Irritability  of  bee«,        -        -        -        -  233 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

OVERSTOCKING. 
Can  the  country  bo  overstocked  with  bees, '  234 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

WATKRING    BEES. 
Wateriug  bees,         ....      no        Mr.  Quinby's  letter  on  watering  bees,  243 

CHAPTER   XX. 

SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA. 

Shipping  bees  to  California,       -        -  246        Other  shipments,         ....  262 

No  bees  in  California  prior  to  its  con-  How  our  first  shipment  was  prepared,  254 

quest  by  the  Americans,     -        -  249        Second  shipment — how  prepared,       -  266 

The  first  sto^k  of  boos  in  California,     252        Peculiarities  of  bees  in  California,        269 

AUTUMN. 
CHAPTER    XXI. 

ROBBING. 

Robbing, 261        How  to  detect  robbing,   -       -       •      268 

Cause  of  robbing,    -        -        -        -      262        Remedy, 26S 

How  to  prevent  robbing,    •        -        -  262 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
UNITING  SWARMS. 

Uniting  weak  swarms  in  the  fall,  •      2C5       To  unite  swarms  in  box  hives,  -       •  266 

WINTER. 
CHAPTER    XXIII. 

WINTERING   BEES. 

Protection, 268        Mr.  Quinby's  opinion  of  the  value  of 

The  invention  of  winter  mats,       -      273  these  winter  mats,       ...  273 

Another  method   of  making   winter  Patent  applied  for,  -        .        .273 

mats, 275        How  bees  winter  if  left  to  themselves,  279 

Mode  of  applying  them,     -        -        -275        Bcstshapedhivefor  wintering  bees  in,  281 

Wintering  bees  in  dark  rooms,  •  282 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

PROFITS  OP  BEK  KEEPING, 288 

CHAPTER   XXV. 
HONEY  BEE  IN  CHINA, 284 

WHEKK  RIGHT3  MAY  BE  OBTAINED, 288 


BEES  AND  BEE-KEEPING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HISTORY  AND  PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  HONEY  BEE. 

The  Bee  is  considered  by  naturalists  as  belonging 
to  what  are  called  perfect  societies  of  insects,  and  in 
entomological  arrangements  is  placed  in  the  order 
of  Hjmenoptera,  genus  Apis.  Every  association  or 
colony  of  bees  comprises  three  descriptions  of  indi- 
viduals, and  each  description  is  distinguished  by  an 
appearance  and  cast  of  character  peculiar  to  itself — 
(Bevan.) 

THE  QUEEN. 

The  queen,  as  she  is  now  generally  called  (the 
mother  bee  would  be  a  much  more  appropriate  name 
to  designate  the  functions  which  properly  belong  to 
her  in  the  economy  of  the  hive),  is  without  doubt 
the  most  important  personage  in  the  association,  or 
colony ;  not  from  any  useful  labor  which  she  per- 
forms in  building  combs,  storing  honey,  or  anything 
of  this  kind,  nor  yet  for  enacting  laws  and  dictating 

(11) 

D.  K  HILL  LIBRARY 
North  Carolina  State  College 


12  BEES   AND    HKK-KEEPING. 

to  the  rest  of  the  colony  what  they  shall  and  what 
they  shall  not  do,  with  that  pomp  and  dignity  sup- 
posed to  he  the  prerogative  of  earthly  potentates  gen- 
erally; hut  for  the  Immhlc  position  and  for  the  sim- 
ple purpose  of  laying  eggs  from  which  the  young  are 
reared,  and  thus  becomes  the  means  of  extending  and 
perpetuating  her  species. 

In  discussing  this  part  of  my  subject,  my  expe- 
rience will  necessarily  lead  me  to  difter,  on  some 
points,  from  writere  whose  ipse  dixit  is  generally  re- 
ceived as  orthodox. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    QUEEN. 

The  queen,  or  mother  bee,  is  easily 
distinguished  from  all  other  bees  in  the 
colony,  by  a  more  measured,  sedate 
movement;  the  greater  length  of  her 
body,  which  tapers  gradually  to  a  point; 
the  proportionate  shortness  of  her 
THE  QDEF..V.  wings,  which  reach  but  little  beyond 
her  middle,  ending  about  the  third  ring  of  her  ab- 
domen, but  are  very  strong  and  sinewy;  her  head  is 
rounder,  her  trunk  or  thorax  more  slender  and  but 
little  more  than  half  the  length  of  that  of  the  com- 
mon worker  bee;  her  legs,  though  longer,  have  nei- 
ther brushes  nor  baskets  for  collecting  pollen ;  she 
differs  in  color  from  all  other  bees  in  the  colony,  as 
much  as  in  shape — the  upper  part  of  her  body  is  of  a 
much  brighter  black,  the  under  surface  and  the  legs 
are  of  a  dark  orange  or  copper  color,  the  hind  legs 
being  rather  darker  than  the  rest. 


HISTORY   AND   PHYSIOLOGY.  13 

DOES    THE    QtJEEN    GOVERN    THE    COLONY  ? 

My  experience  upon  this  point  is,  that  she  does 
not,  or  if  she  does  exercise  any  controlling  power,  it 
is  to  a  very  limited  extent  indeed ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary, I  firmly  believe  her  to  be  a  creature  of  the  col- 
ony, or  worker  bees,  and  subject  to  their  power  and 
control,  from  the  time  the  egg  is  deposited  from 
which  she  is  reared,  up  to  the  perfect  queen,  and 
from  that  time  to  the  day  of  her  death.  It  is  gen- 
erally conceded  that  the  worker  bees  possess  the  pow- 
er to  rear  a  queen  from  any  egg  deposited  in  a  worker 
cell,  and  it  is  generally  supposed  that  the  change  is 
caused  by  the  quantity  and  quality  of  food  given  them 
whilst  in  the  larva  state,  producing  a  fully  developed 
insect  instead  of  one  but  partially  developed,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  common  workers,  and  in  this  opin- 
ion I  fully  concur.  Now  if  food  can  be  varied  to 
produce  such  striking  results  as  this,  may  it  not  pro- 
duce very  important  results  in  another  direction  ?  (as 
I  will  have  occasion  to  refer  to  hereafter.)  Thus  we 
find  the  common  bees  can  rear  a  queen  at  pleasure, 
when  they  have  eggs.  Kow  suppose  the  old  queen 
is  removed  from  a  colony  when  in  possession  of  eggs, 
what  is  the  result  ?  Do  they  scatter  o%  hither  and 
thither,  having  lost  their  governor  or  sovereign ;  or 
do  they  become  lazy,  indolent  or  reckless,  not  caring 
now  to  protect  their  stores,  as  would  most  unques- 
tionably be  the  case  were  they  dependent  upon  the 
queen  to  direct  them  in  their  duty,  allotting  to  each 
their  task  ?  Nay,  every  observing  apiarian  can  tes- 
tify to  the  reverse  of  all  this. 
2 


14  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPINa. 

When  the  quecu  is  removed  they  very  soon  miss 
her,  and  immediately  make  a  diligent  search  for  her 
in  and  about  the  hive,  apparently  manifesting  a  great 
anxiety  for  her  safety.  If  she  is  not  found  in  a  short 
time,  they  settle  down  and  go  to  work  quietly,  as  if 
nothing  unusual  had  happened.  To  replace  their 
lost  queen  now  seems  to  be  their  greatest  concern. 
It  would  be  very  difficult  for  the  most  skillful  and 
careful  observer  to  detect  any  thing  difterent  in  their 
movements  from  those  in  possession  of  a  queen  ;  the 
only  difference,  perhaps,  is,  that  if  any  comb  is  built 
it  is  pretty  certain  to  be  drone  cells.  Honey  and 
pollen  will  be  gathered  and  stored,  and  every  thing 
carried  on  with  the  same  order  and  precision  that  it 
could  be  if  a  queen  was  present.  Now  if  the  queen 
rules  a  colony  and  directs  its  movements,  laying  out 
all  the  plans,  &c.  as  most  writers  would  have  us  be- 
lieve, where  is  the  directing  or  governing  power 
vested,  in  the  absence  of  a  queen  ?  Are  the  various 
manipulations  of  the  hive  carried  on  at  random?  I 
think  not.  Every  bee,  when  it  is  born  into  the  world, 
is  most  unquestionably  endowed  by  nature  with  that 
instinct  which  prompts  it  to  enter  upon  the  discharge 
of  its  appropriate  duties,  and  also  with  the  knowledge 
and  mechanical  skill  necessary  to  perform  those  du- 
ties; no  apprenticeship  under  skilled  architects  is 
necessary  to  enable  the  young  bee  to  build  the  most 
beautiful  comb,  complete  in  all  its  relations,  which 
has  been  a  problem  to  the  most  profound  philoso- 
phers and  geometricians  for  centuries  (the  mode  of 
testing  the   truth  of  this  position  will  be  given   in 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIO  LOGY.  15 

another  place) ;  hence  I  think  facts  will  justify  me  in 
believing, 

First.  That  no  sovereignty  is  exercised  by  the 
queen  over  the  other  bees  in  the  colony. 

Second.  That  the  entire  economy  of  the  colony  is 
directed  and  executed  by  the  worker  bees,  including, 
to  a  very  considerable  extent,  the  actions  of  the 
queen. 

Third.  The  only  necessity  for  the  presence  of  the 
queen  is  to  supply  the  colony  with  eggs. 

Fourth.  That  the  time  of  laying  eggs,  and  the 
number  required  at  au}^  given  period,  is  controlled 
by  the  workers,  and  not  by  the  queen. 

Fifth.  That  no  eggs  are  deposited  in  the  queen 
cells  by  queens. 

Sixth.  That  no  homage  or  filial  affection  is  ren- 
dered or  manifested  for  the  queen  by  the  workers, 
other  than  fi'om  the  instinct  of  self-preservation. 

NO    SOVEREIGNTY    EXERCISED   BY    THE   QUEEN    UPON    THE 
COLONY. 

No  doubt  I  will  be  pronounced  heterodox  by  many, 
and  especially  by  cotemporary  authors  and  their  ad- 
herents, who  have  made  the  sovereignty  of  the 
queen  and  the  homage  and  filial  affection  rendered 
her  by  her  loving  subjects,  a  theme  over  which  they 
have  become  very  eloquent,  and  even  romantic. 
This  course  on  the  part  of  authors  tends,  in  my  opin- 
ion, to  continue  and  perpetuate  in  a  modified  form 
that  mystery  which  has  for  ages  surrounded  and  ob- 
scured bees  and  bee-keeping,  and  no  doubt  in  many 


16  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

cases  prevents  persons  from  engaging  in  apiarian 
pursuits  (which  are  both  pleasing  and  profitable), 
from  a  dread  of  being  unable  to  understand  and 
manage  properly  such  a  complicated  kind  of  stock, 
and  one  so  uncertain  and  so  difficult  to  compfehend. 

I  apprehend  that  when  the  facts  connected  with 
this  subject  are  fully  known,  and  a  true  knowledge  of 
the  internal  economy  of  the  society  of  bees  is  simpli- 
fied and  presented  truthfully,  without  being  inter- 
mixed with  the  remains  of  superstition,  it  will  then  be 
demonstrated  that  bees  can  be  understood  and  man- 
aged by  the  community  at  large  upon  the  same  gen- 
eral principles,  and  with  similar  assurances  of  suc- 
cess, as  any.  other  domestic  stock.  Any  thing  which 
I  may  present  will  be  for  the  purpose  of  simplifying 
and  removing  objections  which  have  by  many  been 
considered  insurmountable  to  bee-keeping,  and  not 
with  any  desire  to  provoke  controvers}-  upon  the  part 
of  any  wnth  whom  I  may  chance  to  dili'er. 

In  connection  with  my  first  proposition,  that  no 
sovereignty  is  exercised  by  the  queen,  I  have  already 
given  my  reasons  for  this  conclusion  to  a  considera- 
ble extent,  but  will  give  some  experiments  to  show 
that  each  individual  bee  fully  understands  its  own 
duty  from  instinct,  without  any  instruction.  Just  as 
soon  as  they  were  able  to  commence  the  performance 
thereof,  I  took  a  number  of  frames,  (being  full  of 
combs,  brood,  &c.)  shook  the  bees  down  on  a  sheet 
in  front  of  the  hive ;  all  the  old  bees,  or  nearly  so, 
would  within  a  few  minutes  take  wing  and  return  to 
their  hive.     I  should  remark,  however,  that  a  hive 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  17 

was  selected  in  ^vhich  a  large  amount  of  brood  had 
been  emerging  for  a  day  or  t^vo  previous,  and  was 
still  emerging.  With  a  little  patience  and  care,  al- 
most every  bee  that  is  old  enough  to  fly  can  be  re- 
moved or  separated  from  those  that  are  yet  unable  to 
fly;  in  this  manner  enough  of  these  young  bees  can 
be  obtained  to  make  a  small  swarm,  sufficient  to 
keep  two  brood  combs  warm,  if  other  combs  are 
placed  on  each  side,  and  the  whole  covered  or  closed 
around,  giving  the  colony  space  just  in  proportion  to 
its  size.  Combs  were  selected  from  which  brood  was 
rapidly  emerging ;  and  an  embryo  queen  was  set  in 
one  of  the  combs,  in  a  central  position.  This  exper- 
iment was  made  in  very  warm  weather;  the  entrance 
was  contracted  so  that  robbers  were  not  likely  to  at- 
tack it.  ISTow  for  the  result.  The  first  day,  not  a 
single  bee  could  be  seen  to  enter  or  depart;  the  sec- 
ond day,  a  bee  might  be  seen  coming  out  and  appa- 
rently making  very  short  excursions,  and  again  re- 
turning; this  only  occurred  at  long  intervals.  On 
examining  the  interior,  the  numbers  seemed  to  be 
very  much  increased  by  those  that  had  emerged  from 
the  comb ;  many  bees  could  now  be  observed  pretty 
well  developed,  apparently  capable  of  going  abroad 
to  the  fields  and  engaging  in  their  daily  avocations. 
On  the  third  day  a  few  more  could  be  seen  at  the 
entrance.  Fourth  day,  the  number  still  increased ; 
one  could  be  seen  occasionally  carrying  pollen ; 
young  queen  emerged  evening  of  this  day ;  colony 
quite  lively.  Fifth  day,  began  to  work  quite  regu- 
larly, evidently  carrying  both  honey  and  pollen. 
2* 


18  lirE>?    AND    BEE-KREPTNa. 

Sixth  day,  still  increasing  in  strength.  Seventh  day, 
working  quite  briskly,  considering  the  size  of  the 
colony.  Eighth  and  ninth  days,  working  as  strong, 
apparently,  in  proportion  to  their  numbers,  as  any 
stock  in  the  apiary.  On  the  evening  of  the  ninth 
day  (five  days  from  the  time  the  queen  emerged  from 
her  cell),  a  few  eggs  were  observed  in  one  of  the 
combs.  Tenth  day,  the  number  of  eggs  was  greatly 
increased;  the  queen  was  now  fertile,  and  the  exper- 
iment of  making  a  colony  of  bees,  composed  entirely 
of  young  ones,  without  a  single  exception,  was  a 
perfect  success,  tlie  bees  continuing  to  thrive  and  do 
well. 

We  have  instituted  similar  experiments  with  the 
same  result.  Can  it  be  supposed,  with  any  degree 
of  plausibility,  that  those  young  bees  were  governed 
by  a  queen,  or  other  royal  dignitary,  four  days  having 
elapsed  without  any  queen  being  in  the  colony,  ex- 
cept the  one  yet  sealed  up  in  the  cell ;  nor  were  there 
any  old  bees  to  instruct  them  in  the  aftairs  of  the 
colony.  I  forgot  to  mention  that  three  queen  cells 
were  commenced  before  the  queen  emerged  from  her 
cell,  but  of  course  Avere  then  discontinued.  In  one  or 
two  cases,  we  have  had  thorn  to  rear  and  perfect 
queens  in  this  manner. 

But  I  find,  upon  examination,  that  I  am  not  the 
first  to  suppose  that  the  queen  exercised  no  authority 
over  the  other  bees.  Bonner,  an  eminent  Scotch 
writer  of  the  last  century,  uses  the  following  lan- 
guage : 

"But  as  it  is  also  now  unanimously  admitted  that 


IIISTOBY    AND    FHYSTOLOrJY.  19 

she  (the  qiieeii )  lays  every  egg  in  tbe  hive,  she 
ought  rather  be  called  the  mother  bee,  for  indeed 
from  the  best  observation  that  ever  I  could  make, 
she  possesses  and  exerts  no  sovereignty  over  the 
other  bees ;  she  evidences  the  greatest  anxiety  for  the 
good  of  the  commonwealth  with  which  she  is  con- 
nected, and  indeed  every  member  of  it  shows  an 
equal  regard  for  her  welfare ;  but  I  never  could  ob- 
serve that  she  issues  any  positive  orders  to  be  punctu- 
ally obeyed  by  the  other  bees.  The  truth  seems  to 
be,  that  she  and  the  other  bees  are  all  equally  ac- 
quainted with  their  duty  l\y  instinct,  and  have  an 
equal  pleasure  in  performing  it,  without  waiting  for 
orders  from  each  other.  That  there  is,  nevertheless, 
the  greatest  order  and  regularity  among  them,  is  cer- 
tain, for  they  lay  their  plans  and  execute  them  in  the 
best  possible  manner,  by  the  influence  of  the  above 
powerful  substitute  for  reason." 

THE  ECONOMY  OF  THE    COLONY   DIRECTED   BY  THE  WORKERS. 

It  seems  evident  that  in  the  creation  and  organi- 
zation of  societies  or  colonies  of  honey  bees,  as  in 
other  things,  the  sexes  are,  to  a  certain  extent,  depend- 
ent on  each  other  for  the  propagation  and  perpetua- 
tion of  their  species;  l)ut  here  we  have  the  strange 
anomaly  of  the  neuter  gender,  or  rather  of  the  unde- 
veloped sex  (of  which  the  colony  is  mainly  composed), 
feeding  and  nursing  the  young,  and  caring  for  them 
with  as  much  parental  devotion  and  solicitude  as 
though  they  were  actually  their  own  ofl:spring,  the 
queen  simply  depositing   the  eggs   in  their   appro- 


20  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

priate  place.  It  seems  they  also  have  the  knowledge 
and  ability  to  rear  the  brood  in  such  manner  as 
would  seem  best  for  the  welfare  of  the  colony,  either 
by  rearing  it  all  as  undeveloped  females  (common 
workers),  or  fully  developing  a  portion  thereof  and 
making  queens. 

I  refer  to  eggs  deposited  in  worker  cells;  those  in 
drone  cells  are  drones,  and  nothing  else.  When  a 
swarm  issues  from  a  colony,  the  workers  are  the  first 
to  go  forth  ;  a  considerable  portion  of  the  swarm 
generally  emerges  before  the  queen  takes  wing. 
This  rule  is  deviated  from  in  many  instances  in  after 
swarms,  but  I  never  knew  an  instance  with  first 
swarms.  The  workers  are  also  the  first  to  select  a 
place  to  cluster ;  and  in  many  cases  I  have  carefully 
observed  to  see  if  the  queen  was  first,  or  even  among 
the  first,  to  alight ;  but  as  a  general  thing  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  the  swarm  would  cluster,  when  her 
ladyship  might  be  seen  alighting  in  their  midst. 

I  have  known  swarms  to  cluster,  and  in  some  cases 
remain  until  put  into  the  hive,  and  then  return  to 
the  parent  stock,  when  I  knew  the  queen  had  not 
left  at  all,  having  seen  her  running  round  on  the 
alighting  board  and  return  into  the  hive,  apparently 
unable  to  fly,  or  unwilling  to  risk  herself  on  the 
wing;  the  bees  evidently  having  done  their  part, 
expected  the  queen  to  do  hers.  It  is  true,  however, 
that  in  a  very  few  cases  I  have  known  the  queen  to 
get  down  in  the  weeds  or  grass,  being  unable  to  arise 
and  fly  again;  the  w^orker  bees  after  some  time 
would  discover  her,  and  would  then  cluster  upon  and 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  21 

around  her.  But  this  is  not  their  natural  way  of 
doing;  it  is  the  exception,  and  not  the  rule.  Hence 
I  conclude  the  worker  bees  lead  oft'  in  swarming  and 
in  clustering,  the  queen  following  instead  of  leading. 
Her  presence  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  welfare 
of  the  swarm,  simply  for  the  purpose  of  supplying 
the  means  of  replenishing  the  stock;  of  this  they 
seem  perfectly  aware.  They  prefer  returning  to  the 
parent  stock  to  setting  up  without  her. 

"When  a  swarm  is  hived,  the  workers  lay  the  foun- 
dation of  the  combs,  and  carry  on  the  work  until 
finished ;  the  queen  depositing  eggs  in  the  cells  as 
they  are  progressing,  not  waiting  for  their  comple- 
tion. They  also  collect  the  food  necessary  for  the 
sustenance  of  the  entire  colony.  But  some  one  is 
ready  to  say,  perhaps  the  queen  directs  all  this.  Just 
take  her  away,  and  see  how  quickly  a  change  will 
take  place.  i!^ow  let  us  see  what  the  change  will  be. 
Suppose  the  queen  has  laid  a  few  eggs  in  the  first 
comb  built,  and  we  remove  her  from  the  hive  en- 
tirely ;  the  bees  will  set  to  work  to  rear  queens  from 
those  eggs,  and  the  other  business  of  the  hive  will 
go  on  as  if  nothing  unusual  had  happened;  honey 
and  pollen  will  be  gathered  and  stored ;  whatever 
eggs  or  brood  may  be  in  the  hive  are  properly  cared 
for ;  and  all  progress  finely  so  long  as  they  have  the 
means  of  supplying  themselves  with  a  queen.  In- 
deed it  is  next  to  impossible  even  for  the  experienced 
apiarian  to  detect  anything  wrong  from  outside  ap- 
pearances ;  and  yet  there  is  no  queen  to  direct  them 
or  instruct  them  in  their  duty  ;  every  member  of  the 


22  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPTNQ. 

colony,  as  has  already  been  remarked,  knows  its 
duty,  and  discharges  that  duty  with  alacrity,  not  wait- 
ing for  orders  from  the  queen  or  from  each  other. 

When  the  yield  of  honey  abroad  is  good,  an  in- 
creased amount  of  brood  is  reared  ;  but  when  it  ia 
cut  off  suddenly  by  frost,  or  any  other  casualty,  I 
have  seen  them  drag  the  brood,  both  woi'ker  and 
drones,  in  all  stages,  from  tlie  combs,  at  the  same 
time  killing  and  driving  out  the  mature  drones,  as  if 
a  famine  was  just  at  hand.  Is  it  the  queen  that  di- 
rects this  destruction  of  her  offspring  ?  To  test  the 
matter  to  the  satisfaction  of  any  one,  just  remove  the 
queen,  when  such  a  case  occurs,  from  some  strong 
stock,  and  the  only  perceptible  difference  will  be,  that 
the  one  having  no  queen  will  retain  a  portion  of 
the  drones,  for  the  purpose,  doubtless,  of  impregnat- 
ing the  young  queen,  should  they  be  successful  in 
rearing  one  from  eggs  in  the  combs  when  the  queen 
is  taken  away. 

The  preparation  for  swarming  is,  I  believe,  made 
entirely  by  the  workei's.  The  fact  is  stated  by  sev- 
eral authors,  in  which  I  concur,  that  a  guard  of 
worker  bees  are  placed  over  the  queen  colls  during 
their  progress,  to  prevent  tlie  old  (iueeu  from  de- 
stroying them,  which  she  would  most  certainly  do  if 
left  to  the  freedom  of  her  own  will,  and  effectually 
prevent  any  swarm  from  going  forth  in  a  state  of 
nature,  the  result  of  which  would  be  to  bring  the 
whole  race  to  an  end  ere  long. 

Here  we  have  positive  evidence  of  the  workers 
governing  the  queen,   and  oontrolline:  her  actiojis. 


HISTORY   AND   PHYSIOLOGY.  23 

When  a  top  swarm  has  gone  forth,  the  old  queen 
accompanying  them,  leaving  embryo  queens  in  the 
hive,  the  guard  is  continued  to  prevent  the  first  one 
out  from  rushing  to  and  destroying  all  her  sister 
queens,  thereby  preventing  the  possibility  of  any  after 
swarms  going  forth.  In  some  instances  the  young 
queens  are  imprisoned  in  their  cells  for  days,  being 
fed  through  an  opening  at  the  end  of  the  cell,  b^'  the 
workers,  until  circumstances  change  so  as  to  make 
it  proper  to  release  them. 

Experiments  can  easily  be  instituted  by  amateurs, 
or  any  one  doubting  the  truth  of  this,  to  test  it,  by 
constructing  observatory  hives,  with  glass  sides,  ex- 
posing to  view  the  combs  and  all  the  workings  of 
the  colony.  Directions  will  be  found  on  another 
page  for  constructing  such  hives. 

Thus  we  find  the  worker  bees  capable  of  carrying 
on  all  the  aftliirs  of  the  hive,  rearing  a  queen  when 
destitute  (providing  they  have  eggs),  controlling  the 
queen,  and  preventing  her  from  destroying  the  em- 
bryo queens ;  and  I  will  venture  the  opinion,  that  they 
(the  workers)  cause  her  to  leave  the  old  hive  with  the 
top  swarm  ;  if  left  to  herself,  she  would  not  emigrate 
from  her  old  home.  This  is  but  an  opinion,  the  truth 
of  which  time  and  observation  will  demonstrate. 

THE  ONLY  NECESSITY  FOR  THE  QUEEN  IS  TO  PROVIDE  EGGS 
FOR  THE  COLONY. 

That  the  colony  is  entirely  dependent  on  the  queeu 
for  a  supply  of  eggs,  few  will  doubt;  but  the  idea 
has   generally  prevailed   that   this  is  not  her  only 


24  BEES  AND   BEE-KEEHNG.  • 

duty.  Curiosity  lias  prompted  me  to  scrutinize  thiii 
matter  pretty  closely,  but  I  have  failed  to  discovei 
that  she  perfonuvS  any  other  otHce  in  the  colony  ex- 
cept the  one  just  indicated.  I  never  could  observe 
that  she  had  any  care  for  her  offspring,  either  feed- 
ing them  or  manifesting  any  parental  anxiety  what- 
ever for  their  welfare ;  in  fact,  the  workers,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  supply  her  ladyship  with  her  food,  from 
time  to  time,  as  she  requires  it. 

Mr.  Quinby,  in  referring  to  the  duties  of  the 
queen,  says,  "  the  queen  is  the  mother  of  the  entire 
family ;  her  duty  appears  to  be  only  to  deposit  eggs 
in  the  cells.  I  am  also  led  to  believe  that  the  time 
for  the  queen  to  lay  eggs,  and  the  requisite  quantity, 
is  in  a  measure  indicated  by  the  workers — the  kind 
of  food  which  they  give  her,  or  the  quantity  of  it,  as 
the  case  may  be.  This,  I  feel  quite  sure,  promotes 
the  rapid  production  and  depositing  of  eggs  in  the 
one  case,  and  in  the  reverse  of  that  a  diminution, 
even  to  the  entire  cessation  thereof."  I  have  already 
noticed  that  the  workers  have  the  facult}^  or  power 
of  rearing  a  queen  from  an  egg  laid  in  a  worker  cell, 
by  giving  them  a  liberal  supply  of  food  of  a  peculiar 
land,  the  effect  of  which  seems  to  be  the  full  devel- 
opment of  the  sex,  which,  if  permitted  to  have  re- 
mained in  the  w^orker  cell,  and  been  fed  on  the  com- 
mon or  ordinary  food,  it  had  been  a  worker,  or  a 
partially  developed  female.  Here  we  see  the  pow- 
erful effects  of  stimulating  food,  for  such  it  doubtless 
is.  Would  it  be  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  food 
of  a  similar  kind,  given  to  the  perfect  queen,  would 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGV.  25 

greatly  affect  the  production  of  eggs,  cither  to  in- 
crease or  diminish  the  quantity? 

That  the  food  consumed  by  the  queen,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  is  given  to  her  in  a  prepared  form  by  the 
workers,  I  have  no  doubt.  The  large  amount  con- 
sumed by  her,  and  no  doubt  necessary  for  her  support 
during  the  time  of  her  greatest  activity  in  depositing 
eggs,  has  been  noticed  by  authors. 

It  is  well  known  that  in  a  few  days  after  honey  be- 
comes plenty  in  the  fields,  after  a  scarcity,  the  queen 
invariably  becomes  very  prolific;  a  sufficient  time 
apparently  elapsing  for  an  increased  amount  of  food 
to  effect  this  change.  The  effect  of  an  increased 
amount  of  honey  abroad  is  about  the  same  on  colo- 
nies that  have  a  large  surplus  of  honey  in  store,  as  it 
is  on  those  that  have  a  small  supply.  Thus  we  see 
it  is  not  caused  by  actual  scarcity  or  want  of  honey, 
but  simply  because  the  workers,  in  the  exercise  of 
their  instinct  (knowing  the  scarcity  of  honey  abroad), 
withhold  from  the  queen  the  amount  of  food  neces- 
sary to  stimulate  her  to  greater  fertilitj'.  A  proper 
knowledge  of  this  peculiarity  will  enable  the  apiarian 
to  stimulate  his  bees  to  breed  to  their  full  capacity, 
by  feeding  when  it  is  desirable  to  increase  the  num- 
ber of  his  stocks,  or  for  the  purpose  of  making  those 
he  may  have  strong  and  vigorous. 

It  is  well  known  to  apiarians  that  the  quantity  of 
eggs  is  regulated  in  some  way  or  other;  but  no  one, 
to  my  knowledge,  has  attempted  to  give  the  modus 
operandi.  Mr.  Langstroth  brvs,  "  some  apiarians  be- 
lieve that  she  (the  queen)  can  regulate  their  devclop- 
3 


26  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

meat  (eggs),  so  that  few  or  many  are  produced,  accord- 
ing to  the  necessities  of  the  colony."  That  this  is 
true  to  a  certain  extent,  seems  liigbly  probable ;  for 
if  a  queen  is  taken  from  a  feeble  colony,  her  abdo- 
men seldom  appears  greatly  distended;  and  yet,  if 
put  in  a  strong  one,  she  speedily  becomes  prolific. 
He  continues:  "I  conceive  that  she  has  the  power 
of  regulating  or  repressing  the  development  of  her 
eggs,  so  that  gradually  she  can  diminish  the  number 
maturing  and  finally  cease  laying,  and  remain  inac- 
tive as  long  as  circumstances  require." 

The  old  queen  appears  to  qualify  herself  for  ac- 
companying a  first  swarm,  by  repressing  the  devel- 
opment of  eggs;  and  as  this  is  done  at  the  most 
genial  season  of  the  year,  it  does  not  seem  to  be  the 
result  of  atmospheric  influence.  The  only  diflerence 
upon  this  point  between  Mr.  Langstroth  and  myself 
is,  that  he  ascribes  entirely  to  the  queen  the  ability 
to  produce  a  greater  or  less  amount  of  eggs,  whilst  I 
believe  this  matter  is  regulated  entirely  by  the  com- 
mon worker  bees,  by  the  quantity  or  quality  of  food 
they  give  her;  or  in  other  words,  she  is  an  instru- 
ment which  they  use  as  they  see  fit,  to  supply  them 
with  eggs  from  which  to  replenish  the  hive  with 
young  workers. 

NO  EGGS  ARE  DEPOSITED  BY  THE  QUEEN  IN  QUEEN  CELLS. 

This  may  seem  paradoxical  to  some,  yet  I  think 
facts  will  fully  confirm  this  opinion.  The  inveterate 
hostility  that  exists  between  queens  is  well  known  by 
all  observing  bee-keepers.     So  fearful  are  they  of  a 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  27 

rival  iu  the  family,  that  I  have  known  them  fro 
quently  to  rush  to  the  queen  cells,  and  if  permitted 
by  the  bees,  destroy  the  contents  of  every  one,  from 
the  larva  of  a  day  or  two  old  up  to  those  in  an  ad- 
vanced stage ;  and  they  are  just  as  ready  to  do  this, 
and  will  do  it,  if  permitted,  as  certainly,  at  the 
swarming  time,  as  at  any  other.  This  I  have  tested, 
by  removing  the  queen  from  a  strong  stock,  and  im- 
prisoning her  in  a  queen  cage,  keeping  her  in  another 
hive  for  a  few  days,  until  several  queen  cells  were 
commenced,  then  placing  the  cage  containing  her 
back  in  her  own  hive,  where  she  remained  until  the 
queen  cells  were  advanced  to  the  desired  point.  I 
once  kept  a  queen  in  a  cage  in  a  hive  having  a  fer- 
tile queen,  for  over  three  weeks,  the  bees  feeding  her 
all  the  time.  If  any  one  doubts  that  they  (the  work- 
ers) feed  the  queen,  try  this  experiment;  then  set 
lier  at  liberty  in  the  hive,  when  she  will  immediately 
hunt  out  every  cell  and  destroy  it,  thus  taking  the 
workers  by  surprise,  as  it  were,  they  supposing,  per- 
haps, that  she  is  still  in  her  prison,  and  not  being 
prepared  to  guard  the  embryo  queens,  which  they 
doubtless  intend  in  part  to  use  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  swarms  that  might  go  forth,  if  circum- 
stances are  favorable.  This  is  on  the  supposition  that 
the  experiment  is  instituted  in  the  swarming  season. 
Bevan  relates  a  circumstance  just  in  point  here. 
"In  July,  when  the  hive  (one  of  Dunbar's  mirror 
hives)  had  become  filled  with  comb  and  bees  and  well 
stored  with  honey,  and  when  the  queen  was  very 


28  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

fertile,  I  opened  the  hive  and  took  her  majesty  away ; 
on  the  next  day  I  observed  that  they  had  founded 
five  royal  cells  in  the  usual  way,  under  such  circum- 
stances; and  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  four  more 
were  founded  on  parts  of  the  comb  where  there  were 
eggs  only  a  day  or  two  old.  Two  of  the  royal  cells 
advanced  more  rapidly  than  the  rest,  probably  from 
the  larva  being  of  an  egg  the  fittest  for  the  purpose ; 
four  came  on  more  slowly,  and  three  made  no  pro- 
gress after  the  third  day.  On  the  seventh,  the  two 
first  were  sealed,  two  more  were  nearly  so.  On  the 
morning  of  the  fourteenth  day  from  the  old  queen's 
removal,  a  young  queen,  differing  in  no  respect  from 
one  produced  in  the  natural  way,  emerged  from  her 
cell,  and  proceeded  toward  the  other  royal  cell,  evi- 
dently with  a  murderous  intent.  She  was  immedi- 
ately pulled  back  by  the  workers  with  violence,  and 
this  conduct  was  repeated  on  their  part  as  often  as 
the  queen  renewed  her  destructive  purpose;  at  every 
repulse  she  appeared  sulky,  and  cried  'peep,'  'peep;' 
the  unhatched  queen  responding,  but  in  a  somewhat 
hoarser  tone,  owing  to  her  confined  situation.  This 
parley,  as  Butler  calls  it,  continued  for  several  hours 
together,  with  intervals  of  about  a  minute.  In  the 
evening  of  the  same  day  the  second  queen  was  hatch- 
ed, or  emerged  from  her  cell.  I  saw  her,  says  Mr.  B., 
come  forth  in  majest}^  finely  and  delicately  formed, 
but  smaller  than  the  other." 

In  this  case  it  is  very  evident  that  they  designed 
one   of  these   queens  to  go  off"  with    a   swarm.     I 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  29 

should  perhaps  remark,  that  this  experiment  was 
made  in  an  observatory  hive,  glass  sides — what  Bevan 
calls  a  mirror  hive. 

Suddenly  alarm  a  colony  that  has  its  preparations 
for  swarming  nearly  completed,  i.  e.  young  queens 
in  an  advanced  condition,  such  as  are  found  previous 
to  the  first  swarm  going  forth,  so  as  to  withdraw  the 
attention  of  the  guard  of  workers  from  the  royal 
cells  for  a  time,  as  a  general  thing  the  old  queen  will 
destroy  all  the  embryo  queens ;  she  will  most  cer- 
tainly do  so,  if  not  prevented  by  the  workers.  Does 
not  this  prove  very  conclusively  that  the  queen  of 
a  colony  does  not  desire  any  other  queen  raised 
in  her  domains,  for  any  purpose,  and  consequently 
does  not  deposit  any  eggs  in  the  ro^'al  cells  ? 

The  workers,  when  they  find  it  necessary  to  rear 
queens,  either  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  place 
of  one  just  taken  from  them,  or  for  swarming  pur- 
poses, remove  eggs  from  the  worker  cells  and  place 
them  in  the  prepared  queen  cells.  I  have  known 
them  to  do  this  frequently,  when  I  have  removed  the 
queen.  Several  cells  would  be  built  from  three- 
eighths  to  half  an  inch  deep,  within  twenty-four  to 
forty  hours.  I  have  looked  into  these  very  fre- 
quently, when  no  egg  was  to  be  seen,  and  noted  such 
cells  carefully,  having  examined  again  and  again. 
Perhaps  in  a  few  hours,  or  daring  that  day  or  the 
next,  an  egg  could  be  distinctly  seen  attached  to  the 
top  of  the  cell,  nothing  else  being  in  the  cell ;  a  few 
hours  afterward  a  very  small  quantity  of  a  whitish 
substance  could  be  seen  surrounding  the  egg:  this 
3* 


30  BKK.s  AND  ci:i:-Ki:Ki'fxa. 

was  greatly  increased  after  tiie  og(j;  was  luitclied  out 
and  became  larva. 

This  experiment  1  have  tried  time  and  again,  with 
the  same  result.  There  being  no  queen  in  the  hive, 
how  came  the  egg  in  the  queen  cell,  unless  the  work- 
ers removed  it  thither?  That  they  did  this,  I  have 
no  reason  to  doubt.  If  thoy  are  capable  of  doing  so 
in  the  absence  of  a  queen,  is  it  not  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  they  can  do  so  when  preparing  to  swarm, 
while  the  queen  still  remains  in  the  hive;  and  fur- 
ther, that  this  is  the  metliod  generally  practiced. 

Sometimes  the  partitions  between  two  or  three  cells 
were  pierced  out  and  formed  into  a  queen  cell. 
Where  there  is  young  larva  two  or  three  days  old, 
sncli  are  uot  removed.  Colls  constructed  in  this  way 
are  generally  but  a  few  degrees  from  a  horizontal 
position  ;  whilst  queens  raised  from  the  egg  almost 
invariably  occupy  a  perpendicular  position.  Query. 
Does  not  this  offer  a  solution  to  the  mystery  of  drone 
laying  queens,  they  having  been  but  imperfectly  de- 
veloped ? 

DO   THE   WORKER   BEES   ACCORD   ROYi^  L   HONORS   TO   THE 
QUEEN. 

I  have  failed  thus  far  to  discover  or  observe  that 
any  homage  was  done  the  queen,  unless  feeding  her 
may  be  considered  as  such ;  this  I  apprehend  has 
been  mistaken  for  that  fond  caressing  which  some 
authors  laud  so  highly.  When  the  true  state  of  the 
case  is  uriderst<")od,  it  will  strip  the  queen  of  much  of 
rovalty  with  which  she  has  been  invested.    The  g'uard 


HISTORY    AND    PIIYSIOLUGY.  31 

of  honor  which  some  authors  have  accorded  her,  is 
likely  to  be  reduced  to  a  few  menials,  whose  business 
it  is  to  prepare  her  meals  and  serve  them  up  to  her. 
When  she  is  passing  over  the  brood-comb,  apparently 
searching  for  the  proper  cells  in  which  to  deposit  her 
eggs,  the  workers  step  aside  and  give  her  room  to 
proceed  with  her  work ;  just  as  a  man  who  was  stand- 
ing idle  would  step  aside  to  give  room  to  another  to 
proceed  with  his  work,  no  homage  being  done  in 
either  case,  nor  yet  any  filial  affection  shown. 

When  I  have  observed  the  queen  in  any  other  posi- 
tion than  on  the  brood  comb,  she  would  pass  over  or 
amongst  the  workers  just  as  any  humble  worker 
might  do  ;  very  seldom,  indeed,  do  they  get  out  of 
her  wa}'.  She  has  her  peculiar  stately,  or  rather 
ambling  motion,  which  serves  to  distinguish  her  from 
any  other  in  the  hive  ;  this  is  doubtless  caused  by  th(5 
vast  amount  of  food  consumed,  and  the  immense 
number  of  eggs  elaborated  by  her  when  in  her  great- 
est fertility,  and  not  from  a  knowledge  of  royal  blood 
flowing  ill  her  veins. 

The  motions  of  the  young  queen  before  she  becomes 
fertile,  arc  but  little  different  from  the  v»-orkers  ;  she 
is  quite  brisk  and  active,  either  on  foot  or  on  the 
wing.  No  notice  apparently  is  taken  of  her  until 
she  becomes  fertile  (by  the  workers);  this  fact  has 
been  related  by  several  authors.  AVhen  she  becomes 
fertile,  and  enters  upon  her  duties — as  I  have  stated, 
passing  over  the  brood  combs,  depositing  eggs — the 
workers  simply  stepping  out  of  the  wiiy,  permitting 
her  to  proceed  with  her  labors  without  hindrance; 


32  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

add  to  this  the  fact  that  a  few  bees  prepare  and  sup- 
ply her  with  food,  in  connection  with  the  knowledge 
or  instinct  which  teaches  the  bees  the  necessity  for 
the  presence  of  the  queen,  merely  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  the  hive  with  eggs — and  we  have  all  of 
royalty  or  filial  affection  for  the  queen  by  the  work- 
ers which  I  have  been  able  to  discover.  Whenever 
she  ceases  to  jDerform  this  duty  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  workers — when  from  age  or  accident  she  becomes 
less  prolific,  ceasing  to  fhrnish  sufficient  eggs  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  of  the  colony — how  do  the  workers 
proceed?  Arc  they  prompted  by  their  filial  affection 
for  their  mother,  so  to  speak,  to  permit  her  to  remain 
mistress  of  the  hive,  doing  the  best  service  her  age 
or  infirmities  would  permit  her  to  render  ?  Nay ; 
when  this  occurs,  they  rear  one  or  more  young  queens 
(we  might  suppose,  in  opposition  to  her  remon- 
strances, or  perhaps  entreaties).  When  one  is  in  a 
fit  condition  to  take  her  place,  she  is  ignominiously 
sacrificed,  apparently  for  the  good  of  the  society  for 
which  she  is  unable  longer  to  furnish  the  means  of 
perpetuation.  Just  as  soon  as  she  fails  to  perform 
her  appropriate  duties,  she  is  dealt  with  as  remorse- 
lessly and  as  promptly  by  the  workers  as  the  drones 
are  when  they  cease  to  be  useful  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  the  colony ;  hence  the  old  adage  is  true, 
that  in  a  hive  not  a  single  useless  idle  bee  is  permitted 
to  remain. 

My  object  has  been  to  get  at  facts ;  I  have  no 
disposition  to  attempt  to  underrate  the  value  and  the 
well  known  and  absolute  necessity  of  the  queen  ;  no 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  33 

colony  can  possibly  exist  more  than  a  few  weeks,  or 
at  most  a  few  mouths,  without  her;  but  I  deem  it 
necessary  to  explain  things  as  experience  has  taught 
me. 

MODE    OP   REARING   QUEENS, 

It  has  been  hinted  already,  that  the  worker  bees 
could  rear  a  queen  at  will  from  any  egg  laid  in  a 
worker  cell ;  this  they  do  when  left  to  take  their  own 
course,  or  when  in  a  state  of  nature,  in  order  to  pro- 
vide queens  for  swarms  that  may  issue.  They  also 
do  this  when  their  queen  is  removed  from  the  hive 
for  the  purpose  of  making  artificial  swarms,  or  by 
any  accident,  provided  they  have  or  are  supplied 
with  brood-comb,  containing  eggs,  or  larva  not  more 
than  four  days  old.  These  are  what,  for  the  sake  of 
distinction,  are  called  artificial  queens,  but  I  never 
could  discover  any  difi'erence  between  them  and 
those  raised  naturally  (or  when  they  are  preparing  to 
swarm — the  other  queen  still  remaining  in  the  hive), 
when  in  both  cases  they  commenced  with  the  un- 
hatched  egg  and  not  w^ith  larva. 

"When  the  queen  is  taken  from  a  colony,  instinct  or 
reason,  if  I  may  be  permitted  so  to  term  it,  teaches 
the  workers  the  importance  of  having  her  place 
supplied,  at  the  very  earliest  possible  moment,  with 
another  fertile  queen.  They  are  also  aware,  no  doubt, 
that  this  desirable  object  may  be  attained  a  few  daj's 
sooner,  by  taking  a  larva  that  has  been  hatched  three 
or  four  days,  and  fed  on  food  only  designed  to  de- 
velope  it  as  a  common  worker  up  to  that  time.  The 
cell  is  now  greatly  enlarged,  by  cutting  out  the  par- 


34  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

titions  between  that  and  adjoining  cells,  and  rearing 
a  cell  in  proper  form.  The  forcing  process,  so  to 
speak,  is  now  commenced,  by  supplying  the  larva 
with  a  large  quantity  of  royal  jelly,  instead  of  the  ple- 
beian food  on  which  it  fed  for  the  first  few  days  of  its 
existence.  Cells  constructed  for  larva  of  this  kind 
differ  from  those  constructed  for  eggs,  in  two  partic- 
ulars ;  in  the  first  place,  they  are  less  in  size  and 
nearly  horizontal,  while  those  constructed  for  eggs 
are  almost  invariably  perpendicular,  so  much  so  that 
the  embryo  queen  stands  on  her  head,  whilst  in  the 
other  case  she  lies  almost  flat  on  her  back,  similar  to 
the  workers  in  the  embryo  state.  When  queens 
raised  from  larva  have  emerged,  which  I  have  known 
them  to  do  on  the  twelfth  day  from  the  removal  of 
the  old  queen,  and  indeed  in  one  or  two  instances  on 
the  eleventh  day,  they  are  less  in  size,  shorter  in  the 
body,  and  of  a  darker  color,  being  of  a  greenish 
brown,  very  similar  to  the  worker,  but  destitute  of 
that  rich  copper  brown  which  so  distinctly  marks 
the  perfect  queen  raised  direct  from  the  egg.  I  think 
it  highly  probable  that  to  this  cause  ma}^  bo  traced 
the  anomaly  that  has  puzzled  apiarians  for  ages  past, 
i.  e.  drone-laying  queens  and  fertile  workers,  each  of 
which  will  be  noticed  elsewhere;  and  I  have  no 
doubt  this  peculiarity  has  misled  Mr.  Quinby  and 
many  others  in  their  experiments  in  rearing  artificial 
queens,  as  they  are  generally  called. 

In  all  cases  where  it  is  desirable  to  have  bees  rear 
queens  other  thaji  those  they  rear  of  their  own  ac- 
cord, comb  should  be  selected  having  unhatched  eggs 


HISTORY   AND    PIIYSIOLOaY.  35 

in,  and  it  should  invariably  be  placed  in  a  central 
position  in  the  colony,  where  the  highest  degree  of 
temperature  is  found;  in  very  full,  strong  stocks, 
almost  any  well  covered  position  with  bees  will  do. 
I  have  generally  found  that  the  most  perfect  and  vig- 
orous queens  are  raised  in  colonies  that  were  capable 
of  maintaining  a  uniform  temperature  in  the  hive, 
above  eighty  degrees  Fahrenheit.  According  to  Be- 
van,  it  requires  the  temperature  to  be  seventy  degrees 
and  upward  to  hatch  the  egg.  The  influence  of  tem- 
perature is  very  great  in  developing  all  varieties  of 
the  bee,  but  particularly  so  with  queens.  It  is  quite 
easy  to  place  a  comb  in  any  movable  comb  hive 
containing  eggs,  from  which  several  queen  cells  are 
generally  suspended,  being  about  an  inch  long,  and 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  When  these 
cells  are  built  about  one-third  of  their  length,  being 
similar  to  the  cup  of  an  acorn,  the  egg  is  placed  in 
it  (as  I  believe,  by  the  workers),  when  it  hatches  and 
becomes  a  worm;  it  is  supplied  with  royal  jelly,  lu 
very  small  particles  at  first,  and  increased  as  the 
worm  or  larva  seems  to  require  it ;  there  is  generally 
more  given  or  put  into  the  cell  than  is  consumed. 
This  kind  of  food  is  peculiar  to  the  queen  cells,  and 
is  not  found  in  any  other  place  in  or  about  the  hive. 
Royal  larva  construct  only  imperfect  cocoons,  open 
behind,  and  enveloping  only  the  head,  thorax  and 
first  ring  of  the  abdomen.  A  curious  circumstance 
occurs  with  respect  to  the  hatching  of  the  queen 
bee.  When  the  pupa,  or  nymph,  is  about  to  change 
into  the  perfect  insect,  the  bees  render  the  cover  of 


36  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

the  cell  thinner  b}^  gnawing  away  part  of  the  wax, 
scooping  it  out  in  waved  circles  at  its  edges;  and 
with  so  much  nicety  do  they  perform  this  operation, 
that  the  cover  at  last  becomes  pellucid,  owing  to  its 
extreme  thinness,  thus  facilitating  the  exit  of  the 
queen. 

After  the  transformation  is  thus  completed,  the 
young  queens  would  generally  immediately  emerge 
from  their  cells,  as  workers  and  drones  do ;  but  the 
former  frequently  keep  the  royal  infants  prisoners 
for  some  days,  supplying  them  in  the  mean  time  with 
food  through  a  small  opening  in  the  bottom  of  the 
cell,  through  which  the  confined  queen  thrusts  her 
proboscis  to  receive  it. 

In  rearing  queens  to  supply  queenless  hives,  or  to 
supply  artificial  swarms,  I  would  recommend  the  apia- 
rian to  examine  carefully,  about  the  seventh  or  eighth 
day  from  the  time  eggs  were  given  to  the  colony, 
and  one  or  two  cells  will  usually  be  found  considera- 
bly in  advance  of  all  the  rest.  These  should  be  re- 
moved. If  there  are  still  others  left  in  the  hive,  they 
may  be  given  to  colonies;  but  I  do  not  regard  them 
as  very  reliable,  sometimes  not  being  fully  developed, 
having  been  reared  from  larva  that  were  too  far 
advanced  as  workers.  Those  reared  directly  from 
the  eggs  I  regard  as  being  superior  in  point  of  devel- 
opment, and  consequently  more  reliable  as  prolific 
queens.  This  will  be  discussed  at  greater  length  in 
another  place.  I  should  remark,  however,  that  the 
young  queen  goes  forth  from  the  hive  about  the 
second  or  third  day  after  she  emerges  from  the  cell, 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  S7 

to  meet  the  drone  or  male  bee  in  the  air,  where 
coition  takes  place. 

I  have  already  noticed  that  queens  reared  from 
larva  three  or  four  days  old,  would  emerge  from  their 
cells  as  early  as  the  eleventh  or  twelfth  day  from 
the  time  of  removing  the  old  queen ;  whilst  those 
reared  directly  from  eggs  would  lack  three  or  four 
days  of  being  sufhciently  matured  to  emerge  from 
the  cell,  consequently  they  would  be  consigned  to 
certain  destruction  by  the  perhaps  immature  queen 
that  came  out  first,  unless  it  should  happen  in  the 
swarming  season,  and  the  colony  designed  to  swarm. 
If  later  in  the  season  than  this,  the  result  would  be 
about  this :  the  first  queen  to  emerge  from  her  cell, 
whether  fully  developed  or  not,  would  destroy  all 
those  yet  in  their  cells  within  a  few  hours,  and  cer- 
tainly before  she  went  abroad  to  meet  the  drones  to 
become  fertilized ;  so  that  she  would  be  the  only 
dependence  of  the  colony,  there  being  now  no  eggs 
in  the  hive  from  which  to  rear  another  queen,  whether 
sufliciently  developed  to  become  a  mother  or  not. 

But  suppose  she  is  not  sufliciently  developed,  as  a 
queen  or  female,  to  have  connection  with  the  drone, 
and  thus  become  fertilized,  but  enough  so  to  attempt 
the  desired  object,  what  would  be  the  probable  re- 
sult ?  She  would  either  repeat  her  excursions  abroad, 
to  meet  the  drones,  day  after  da}',  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  until  she  met  with  some  accident  that 
would  terminate  her  existence ;  or  after  a  certain  time, 
as  some  think,  she  would  commence  layiilg  drone 
eggs,  being  incapable  of  furnishing  any  other  kind. 
4 


38  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

In  one  instance,  during  the  past  season,  I  Icnew  a 
queen  of  this  kind ;  she  was  quite  small,  being  but 
little  larger  than  a  common  worker,  and  very  nearly 
of  the  same  color ;  she  emerged  from  her  cell  on  the 
eleventh  day  from  the  removal  of  the  queen,  and 
consequently  must  have  been  reared  from  larva.  I 
was  careful  to  watch  her,  and  saw  her  about  one 
o'clock  on  the  second  day,  issue  from  the  hive. 
I  continued  my  observations,  and  saw  her  go  forth 
live  or  six  different  days ;  she  remained  in  the  hive 
until  about  the  sixteenth  day  from  the  time  she 
emerged  from  her  cell.  ]^o  eggs  could  be  found  in 
any  of  the  combs,  neither  drone  nor  worker  cells,  and 
I  could  not  discover  any  difference  in  her  size  or 
appearance,  as  is  always  the  case  when  queens  be- 
come fertile.  I  then  removed  her  and  gave  another 
queen  to  the  colony.  I  feel  pretty  confident  that  she 
was  not  sufiiciently  developed  to  become  a  prolific 
queen,  or  even  to  become  a  mother  at  all,  unless, 
indeed,  the  theory  of  an  unimpregnated  queen  pro- 
ducing only  drones,  is  true.  I  think  it  quite  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  various  points  of  development 
may  and  are  occasionally  attained,  between  the  com- 
mon worker  bee  and  the  perfect  queen,  arising  either 
from  the  fact  of  the  larva  being  too  far  advanced, 
before  feeding  royal  jelly,  to  be  fully  developed,  or 
from  being  reared  in  a  cool  situation  or  imperfectly 
fed. 

It  is  of  great  importance  to  place  brood-comb  con- 
taining eggs  from  which  to  rear  queens,  in  a  central 
position  in  the  colony  ;  if  put  in  a  hive  that  has  sent 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  39 

ofi"  a  swarm  or  two,  it  will  not  do  to  put  it  near  the 
lower  ends  of  the  combs,  as  there  is  not  likely  to  be 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  bees  to  keep  up  the  heat  to 
the  proper  temperature ;  and  to  put  combs  on  the  top 
of  the  hive  is  nonsense.  Whoever  expects  to  rear 
queens  in  either  way,  will  be  disappointed. 

Mr.  Quinby  has  doubtless  fallen  into  one  or  all  of 
these  errors,  which  is  common  to  first  experiments. 
His  mode  of  managing  bees,  prior  to  writing  his 
work,  had  been  such,  I  apprehend,  as  not  to  make 
the  rearing  of  artificial  queens  of  much  importance 
to  him  as  a  matter  of  profit ;  hence  I  conclude  he  has 
not  given  this  subject  as  much  stud}'  and  careful 
experiment  as  some  others,  whose  object  has  been  to 
increase  their  number  of  stocks  in  the  most  rapid 
manner  possible. 

Mr.  Quinby  says :  "  Obtain  a  piece  of  brood-comb 
containing  workers'  eggs,  or  larva  very  young.  You 
will  generally  find  it  without  much  trouble,  in  a 
young  swarm  that  is  making  combs ;  the  lower  ends 
usually  contain  eggs ;  take  a  piece  from  one  of  the 
middle  sheets,  two  or  three  inches  long ;  ( you  will 
probably  use  smoke  by  this  time,  without  telling.) 
Invert  the  hive  that  is  to  receive  it,  put  the  piece 
edgewise  between  the  combs,  if  you  can  spread  them 
apart  enough  for  the  purpose  ;  they  will  hold  it  there^ 
and  then  there  will  be  ample  room  to  make  the  cells. 
They  will  nearly  always  rear  several  queens.  I  have 
counted  nine  several  times,  which  were  all  they  had 
room  for.  But  yet  I  have  very  little  confidence  in 
such  queens,  they  are  almost  certain  to  be  lost." 


40  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

Again  he  says:  "I  have  put  such  piece  of  brood- 
comb  in  a  small  glass  box  on  the  top  of  the  hive 
instead  of  the  bottom,  because  it  was  less  trouble ; 
but  in  this  case  the  eggs  were  all  removed  in  a  short 
time ;  whether  a  queen  was  reared  in  the  hive  or 
not,  I  cannot  say ;  but  this  I  know,  I  never  obtained 
a  prolific  queen,  after  repeated  experiments  in  this 
way."  lie  continues :  "  It  would  appear  that  I  have 
been  more  unfortunate  with  queens  reared  in  this 
way  than  most  experimenters.  I  have  no  difficulty 
to  get  them  formed,  to  all  appearance  perfect,  but 
lose  them  afterward.  Now  whether  this  arose  from 
some  lack  of  physical  development,  by  taking  grubs 
too  far  advanced  to  make  a  perfect  change,  or 
whether  they  were  reared  so  late  in  the  season,  that 
most  of  the  drones  were  destroyed,  and  the  queen  to 
meet  one  had  to  repeat  her  excursions  till  lost,  I  am 
yet  unable  to /tt%  determine."  .  .  .  "  Yet  occasion- 
ally prolific  queens  have  been  reared  when  I  could 
account  for  their  origin  in  no  other  way  but  from 
worker  eggs." 

These  are  just  the  results  I  would  anticipate  from 
the  manner  of  conducting  these  experiments ;  I 
should  have  expected  them  to  be  instituted  in  a  more 
workman-like  manner,  at  least  more  in  accordance 
with  the  habits  of  tlie  bee.  Mr.  Quinby  seems  rather 
in  doubt  whether  bees  can  and  do  raise  prolific  queens 
from  worker  eggs.  However,  this  question  is  now  so 
well  understood,  having  been  clearly  demonstrated 
by  such  authors  as  Schirach,  Februier,  Swammerdam, 
Huber,  Bonner,  Bevan,  Langstroth  and  others,  that  I 


HISTORY   AXL    PHYSIOLOGY.  41 

apprehend  no  reasonable  doubt  can  exist  of  the  truth 
of  \vorker  bees  raising  perfect  prolific  queens  from  any 
eggs  that  ^vould  have  produced  workers,  or  of  rear- 
ing Avorkers  from  any  eggs  that  would  have  produced 
a  queen  ;  for  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  but  two  kinds 
of  eggs  are  ever  found  in  a  hive  of  bees,  moth  eggs 
excepted.  The  one  may  be  found  iu  drone  cells, 
which  will  produce  only  drones ;  the  other  may  be 
found  in  the  worker  cells,  and  will  produce  only 
females,  either  partially  or  fully  developed,  as  circum- 
stances may  seem  to  suggest  to  the  instinct  of  the 
bees. 

I  have  adverted  to  Mr.  Quinby's  experiments,  and 
his  position  with  reference  to  the  rearing  of  queens 
from  eggs  laid  in  worker  cells,  or  artificial  queens,  if 
you  please,  from  no  unkind  motives,  or  with  a  view 
to  detract  from  his  merits  as  an  author,  but  to  ex- 
plain, if  possible,  the  cause  of  his  failure,  and  thereby 
prevent  others  from  falling  into  the  same  error. 

Bcvau  says :  "Bees,  when  deprived  of  their  queen, 
have  the  power  of  selecting  one  or  more  worker 
eggs,  or  grubs,  and  converting  them  into  queens ; 
thus  showing  that  there  is  no  inherent  difterence  in 
female  ova  to  effect  this.  Each  of  the  promoted 
eggs  or  grubs  has  a  royal  cell  or  cradle  formed  for 
it,  and  it  is  liberally  supplied  with  royal  jelly;  this 
royal  jelly  is  a  pungent  food,  prepared  by  the  work- 
ing bees  exclusively  for  the  purpose  of  feeding  such 
of  the  larva  as  are  destined  to  become  candidates  for 
the  honors  of  royalty,  whether  it  be  their  lot  to  assume 
them  or  not :  it  is  more  stin.ulating  than  the  food  of 
4* 


42  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

ordinary  bees,  luis  not  the  same  mawkish  taste,  and 
is  evidently  acescent,  or  acid.  From  the  first,  the 
royal  larva  are  supplied  with  it  rather  profusely,  and 
there  is  always  some  left  in  the  cell  after  their  trans- 
formation. It  becomes  reddish  or  brown  after  re- 
maining for  a  time.  Schirach,  who  was  secretary 
to  the  Apiarian  Society  in  Upper  Lusatia,  and  vicar 
of  Little  Bautzen,  may  be  regarded  as  the  discoverer 
or  rather  as  the  promulgator  of  this  fact;  and  his 
experiments,  which  were  also  frequently  repeated  by 
other  members  of  the  Lusatian  society,  have  been 
amply  confirmed  by  those  of  Huber,  Bonner,  Dunbar, 
Golding,  and  myself  (Bevan).  Keys  w^as  a  violent 
skeptic  upon  this  subject,  so  likewise  was  John  Hun- 
ter. But  notwithstanding  the  criticisms  and  ridicule 
of  the  former,  and  the  sarcastic  strictures  of  the  lat- 
ter, the  sex  of  workers  is  now  established  beyond  all 
doubt. 

"The  fact  is  said  to  have  been  known  long  before 
Schirach  wrote.  M.  Vogel,  and  Signor  Monticelli, 
a  Neapolitan  professor,  have  both  asserted  this.  The 
former  states  it  to  have  been  known  upward  of  fifty 
years,  the  latter  a  much  longer  period,  lie  says  that 
the  Greeks  and  Turks  in  the  Ionian  islands,  are  well 
acquainted  with  it,  and  that  in  the  little  Sicilian  island 
of  Favignana,  the  art  of  producing  queens  has  been 
known  from  very  remote  antiquity ;  he  even  thinks 
it  was  no  secret  to  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans. 

"Swammerdam  was  acquainted  with  the  power  of 
making  artificial  swarms.  But  the  result  of  Schi- 
rach's  experiments  was,  that  all  workers  were  origin- 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  43 

ally  females,  but  that  their  organs  of  generation  were 
obliterated,  merely  because  the  germs  of  them  were 
not  developed,  their  being  fed  and  treated  in  a  par- 
ticular manner  in  their  infancy,  in  their  worm  state, 
being  necessary,  in  his  opinion,  to  effect  that  devel- 
opment. Subsequent  experiments  have  shown,  how- 
ever, that  the  organs  are  not  entirely  obliterated; 
they  seem  to  be  merely  restrained  from  unfolding 
themselves  by  the  size  of  their  cradle  and  the  quality 
of  their  food. 

"  The  most  incomprehensible  part  of  the  process 
is,  that  increasing  the  size  and  changing  the  direc- 
tion of  the  cell,  and  feeding  the  larva  with  a  more 
pungent  food,  should  not  only  allow  the  sexual  or- 
gans of  the  insect  to  be  fully  developed,  but  should 
alter  the  shape  of  her  tongue,  her  jaws,  and  her 
sting,  deprive  her  of  the  power  to  secrete  wax,  and 
obliterate  the  baskets  which,  but  for  the  changes 
just  referred  to,  would  have  been  formed  upon  her 
thighs." 

Thus  we  find  that  this  matter  was  well  understood 
many  3'ears,  if  not  many  centuries  ago.  Any  writer 
who  doubts  that  bees  can  and  do  raise  perfect  queens 
from  eggs  laid  in  worker  cells,  has  certainly  failed 
to  acquaint  himself  with  the  standard  writers  of  the 
last  century,  or  the  first  half  of  the  present,  or  has 
failed  to  test  the  matter  by  properly  instituted  experi- 
ments. 

I  have  dwelt  at  considerable  leugth  on  this  subject, 
as  I  consider  it  one  of  the  most  important  connected 
with  ]ice-keeping. 


44  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

IMPREGNATION    OF   QUEKNS. 

Having  traced  this  wonderful  insect  from  the  egg 
to  the  perfectly  formed  virgin  queen,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  various  experiments,  and  the  views  of  differ- 
ent authors  in  regard  to  the  rearing  of  queens,  &c. 
I  shall  now  advert  to  the  more  intricate  and  seem- 
ingly mysterious  process  of  the  impregnation  of  the 
queen. 

This  is  a  subject,  (as  Bevan  remarks,)  which  was 
long  involved  in  obscurity,  and  which  indeed  is  still 
clouded  by  some  uncertaint3\  Schirach  and  Bon- 
ner denied  the  necessity  of  sexual  intercourse  be- 
tween the  queen  and  drones,  considering  the  former 
a  mother  and  yet  a  virgin.  Swammerdam  held  the 
same  opinion ;  he  ascribes  the  impregnation  to  a 
vivifying  seminal  aura,  which  is  exhaled  from  the 
drones  and  penetrates  the  body  of  the  queen.  Reau- 
mur successfully  combated  this  fanciful  doctrine,  and 
lliiber  refuted  it  by  experiment.  Keaumur  supposed 
that  there  was  a  sexual  intercourse,  though  his  ex- 
periments left  that  question  undecided. 

Arthur  Dobbs,  Esq.  has  given  it  as  his  opinion, 
that  the  queen's  eggs  were  impregnated  by  coition 
with  the  drones,  and  that  a  renewal  of  the  inter- 
course was  unnecessary;  he,  however,  thought  that 
she  had  intercourse  with  several,  in  order  that  there 
might  be  a  sufficient  deposition  of  sperm  to  impreg- 
nate all  her  eggs. 

The  experiments  of  Iluber  were  made  upon  virgin 
queens,  with  whose  history  he  was  acquainted  from 
the  moment  they  left  their  cells.     In  the  course  of  his 


HISTORY   AND   PHYSIOLOGY.  45 

experiments  he  found  that  the  queens  were  never  im- 
pregnated as  long  as  they  remained  in  the  hive ;  but 
that  impregnation  always  takes  place  in  the  open  air, 
whilst  on  the  wing,  at  a  time  when  the  heat  and 
brightness  of  the  day  have  induced  the  drones  in 
large  quantities  to  issue  from  the  hives,  on  which  oc- 
casion the  queen  soars  high  in  the  air,  love  being  the 
motive  for  the  only  distant  journey  she  ever  takes. 

"The  rencontre  and  copulation  of  the  queen  with 
the  drone  takes  place  exterior  to  the  hive,"  says 
Lombard,  "  and  whilst  they  are  on  the  wing.  They 
are  constituted  in  a  similar  manner  with  the  family 
of  flies.  The  dragon  flies  copulate  as  they  fly  through 
the  aif,  in  which  state  they  have  the  appearance  of 
a  double  insect." 

Bevan  saj^s :  "I  was  myself  an  eye  witness  of  the 
following  circumstances  of  the  humble  bee.  A  con- 
joined pair  descended  obliquely  and  rapidly  through 
the  air,  making  a  loud  buzz,  and  alighted  near  me.  I 
placed  a  tumbler  glass  over  them,  and  observed  their 
proceedings  for  about  twenty  minutes,  when  they 
became  disunited,  but  wuth  considerable  difficulty, 
and  not  without  an  angry  scuffle.  Having  kept  them 
together  for  two  days,  feeding  them  occasionally,  I 
could  not  perceive  any  further  advances  on  either 
side,  but  rather  aversion.  At  the  end  of  this  time 
the  drone,  or  male,  died,  but  the  queen,  or  female, 
lived,  and  appeared  lively  for  many  days  ;  when  I 
finally  gave  her  her  liberty,  she  flew  gaily  away." 

This  occurrence  of  Bevan's  proves  very  clearly  that 
the  humble  bee  is  impregnated  on  the  wing.     It  is 


46  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

well  kuown,  also,  that  the  nest  is  begun  in  the  spring 
by  a  single  bee,  which  is  fertile  and  capable  of  laying 
eggs,  from  which  a  brood  is  raised,  and  ere  long 
quite  a  colony  is  found.  The  same  phenomenon 
occurs  with  hornets,  yellow  jackets  and  wasps,  all  of 
which  are  closely  allied  to  the  honey  bee.  It  is  quite 
evident  that  the  queen,  or  the  female,  which  starts 
the  nest  and  deposits  the  first  eggs,  has  been  im- 
pregnated the  fall  previous,  and  when  once  fertile  it 
serves  for  life. 

But  to  return  to  the  honey  bee.  If  the  queen 
should  be  confined  to  the  hive,  even  amidst  a  seraglio 
of  drones,  she  would  continue  barren ;  but  she  usually 
takes  her  flight  about  the  second  or  third  day  after 
leaving  the  cell,  commonly  from  twelve  to  two 
o'clock,  generally  preceded  by  the  drones.  After 
traversing  the  alighting  board  for  a  few  moments, 
she  flies  back  and  forth  in  front  of  the  hive,  until 
reaching  the  top  of  tlie  covering  or  slied,  when  she 
describes  small  circles  at  first,  gradually  enlarging ; 
after  thus  surveying  her  locality,  and  noting  carefully 
the  surrounding  objects  (apparently  for  the  purpose 
of  enabling  her  to  reach  home  when  she  would  make 
her  final  excursion),  she  returns  to  the  hive,  again 
alighting  and  traversing  the  alighting  board,  passing 
into  the  hive  and  out  again  in  front,  when  finally  she 
rises  aloft  in  the  air,  describing  in  her  flight  hori- 
zontal circles  of  considerable  and  gradually  increasing 
diameter,  and  soars  at  last  to  such  a  height  as  to 
render  it  impossible  to  follow  her  movements.  She 
generally  returns  from  her  aerial  excursion  in  about 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  47 

half  an  hour,  with  the  unmistakable  marks  of  her 
amours  upon  her.  Excursions  are  sometimes  made 
for  a  shorter  period,  but  she  seldom  exhibits  signs  of 
being  impregnated  after  these. 

According  to  Huber,  one  impregnation  is  sufficient 
to  fertilize  all  the  eggs  that  are  laid  for  two  years 
afterward,  and  perhaps  sufficient  to  fertilize  all  that 
she  lays  during  her  whole  life.  This  may  seem  in- 
credible to  many;  but  need  not,  when  we  consider 
that  in  the  common  spider,  according  to  Audibert, 
the  fertilizing  effects  continue  for  many  years. 

Impregnation  in  insects  appears  to  take  place 
whilst  the  eggs  pass  a  reservoir  containing  sperm, 
situated  near  the  termination  of  the  oviduct  in  the 
valve.  "In  dissecting  the  female  parts  in  the  silk 
moth,"  says  Mr.  Hunter,  "I  discovered  a  bag  lying- 
in  what  maybe  called  the  vagina  or  common  oviduct, 
whose  mouth  or  opening  was  external,  but  it  had  a 
canal  of  communication  between  it  and  the  oviduct. 
In  dissecting  these  parts  before  copulation,  I  found 
this  bag  empty;  and  when  I  dissected  them  after- 
ward, I  found  it  full."  By  the  most  decisive  ex- 
periments, such  as  covering  the  ova  of  the  unimpreg- 
nated  moth  after  exclusion,  with  the  liquor  taken 
from  this  bag,  found  in  those  which  were  known  to 
have  had  sexual  connection,  rendering  them  fertile, 
he  demonstrated  that  this  bag  was  a  reservoir  for  the 
spermatic  fluid,  to  impregnate  the  eggs  as  they  were 
ready  for  exclusion,  and  that  coition  and  impreg- 
nation were  not  simultaneous. 

Linnaeus  thought  there  was  a  sexual  intercourse 


48  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPINQ. 

between  the  queens  and  the  drones ;  and  he  even 
suspected  that  it  proved  fatal  to  the  latter.  Swam- 
merdam  gives,  in  his  "Researches  in  Entomology," 
during  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  a 
minute  drawing  of  the  ovaries  of  the  queen,  greatly 
magnified,  which  shows  a  small  bag  or  sac  lying  in 
the  vagina  or  common  oviduct,  very  similar  to  that 
found  by  Mr.  Hunter  in  the  silk  moth.  I  think  it 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  this  sac  is  the  receptacle 
for  the  male  sperm,  which  serves  to  fertilize  all  the 
eggs  which  the  queen  may  produce  for  life. 

Thus  far,  I  believe  this  theory  to  be  correct ;  but 
the  process  by  which  this  is  brouglit  in  contact  and 
incorporated  with  the  rudiments  of  the  eggs  as  pro- 
duced in  the  ovaries  of  the  queen,  is  yet,  I  apprehend, 
considerably  in  the  dark. 

Before  entering  upon  this  point,  I  will  relate  what 
occurred  under  my  own  observation,  in  regard  to  the 
impregnation  of  the  queen.  On  the  25th  of  May, 
1859,  I  observed  a  youjig  queen  (on  the  third  day 
after  she  emerged  from  her  cell,)  leave  the  liive  about 
half  past  twelve  o'clock;  the  drones  were  abroad  in 
advance  of  her,  buzzing  around  in  every  direction 
through  the  air.  I  watched  carefully  for  her  return, 
contracting  the  entrance  a  little  to  prevent  her  pass- 
ing directly  in.  In  about  twenty-five  minutes  she 
returned,  with  the  unmistakable  marks  of  coition ; 
lier  appearance  was  similar  to  that  presented  by  a 
■worker  bee  when  pressed  between  the  thumb  and 
fingers,  until  the  intestines,  or  the  whitish  substance 
w^hich  surrounds  and  is  connected  with  the  sting,  pro- 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  49 

trades  a  little  beyoud  the  surrounding  surface,  pro- 
ducing an  enlargement  of  the  parts,  giving  her  the 
appearance  of  being  wounded  or  pressed  sufficient  to 
cause  the  protrusion.  On  the  second  day,  about  three 
o'clock,  I  examined  the  combs,  and  found  eggs  in 
one  comb  (worker  cells),  in  a  circle,  the  diameter  of 
which  was  about  four  inches;  they  were  on  both 
sides  of  the  comb.  "With  a  little  more  care  I  could 
have  ascertained  nearly  the  exact  time  that  elapsed 
between  the  coition  of  the  queen  and  depositing  of 
eggs. 

I  would  suggest  this  method  to  m}-  fi-iend,  Mr. 
Quinby,  as  a  solution  of  the  questions  he  would  like 
to  ask,  on  page  251  of  his  work. 

Since  that  time,  I  have  seen  three  other  queens 
return  from  their  excursions,  with  the  same  peculiar 
appearance,  and  in  every  case  eggs  could  be  found  in 
the  combs  within  two  or  three  days.  On  other  occa- 
sions, I  have  seen  queens  return  to  the  hive  as  trim 
and  nice  as  when  they  went  forth,  without  any  change 
in  their  appearance,  being  unsuccessful,  no  doubt,  in 
their  amours;  no  eggs  could  be  found,  as  in  the  for- 
mer cases.  From  these  and  other  observations,  I 
feel  assured  that  the  queen  has  connection  with  the 
drone  on  the  wing,  and  that  by  close  observation  on 
her  return  to  the  hive,  her  success  or  failure  can  be 
very  easily  detected,  and  the  time  of  her  laying  eggs 
predicted  with  groat  certainty  by  the  apiarian. 

This  part  of  the  business  can  be  more  readily  seen 
and  comprehended,  than  h(nv  the  egg?>  yet  unformed 
are  aftected  by  thi«  impregnation. 
5 


50  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

I  have  already  stated  that  the  queeu  is  provided 
with  a  small  receptacle  to  receive  and  contain  the 
vivifying  sperm  obtained  from  the  drone  by  coition. 
The  great  mystery  to  be  solved  is,  how  does  the  queen 
draw  upon  this  store  of  fluid,  from  time  to  time,  to 
fertilize  the  eggs  which  are  generated  in  her  ovaries? 
Does  this  fluid  come  in  contact  and  become  incor- 
porated and  combined  with  the  juices  or  fluids  pecu- 
liar to  the  queen,  and  of  which  doubtless  the  egga 
are  composed  in  a  great  measure  ?  Is  it  in  this  man- 
ner that  the  future  sex  of  her  ofispring  is  deter- 
mined ?  Or  is  it  only  necessary  for  the  egg  (after  it 
is  complete  in  all  its  parts,)  to  come  in  contact  with 
the  mouth  or  opening  of  this  sperm  receptacle,  and 
thereby  receive  a  sufiicient  portion  to  cause  them  to 
procreate  ?  And  is  it  true  that  the  female,  or  queen, 
is  of  herself,  without  being  impregnated  by  the 
drone,  capable  of  depositing  eggs  that  will  produce 
only  drones  or  males,  perfect  in  all  respects,  and  yet 
impregnation  is  absolutely  required  to  produce  the 
female  ? 

That  this  is  true,  permit  me  at  present  to  doubt; 
its  assumptions  are  too  extravagant,  and  so  far  from 
harmonizing  with  all  animated  nature  with  which  I 
am  in  any  way  conversant,  that  I  am  led  to  believe 
further  observation  and  closer  investigation  will  be 
necessary  to  fully  demonstrate  the  true  state  of  facts, 
and  solve  the  mystery  that  yet  surrounds  this  ques- 
tion. It  is  true,  there  are  strong  arguments  in  favor 
of  this  theory  as  well  as  against  it,  and  further  ex- 
periments may  prove  it  to  be  correct ;  yet  there  are 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  51 

some  serious  difficulties  in  the  way,  that  to  me,  at 
least,  seem  hard  to  reconcile. 

Langstroth  has  elucidated  this  mystery,  and  no 
doubt  made  it  very  plain  and  satisfactory  to  himself, 
at  least;  but  a  very  few  stubborn  facts  sometimes  de- 
stroy the  most  beautifully  drawn  theories. 

Dzierzon  asserts  that  all  impregnated  eggs  produce 
females,  either  workers  or  queens ;  and  all  unim- 
pregnated  ones,  males  or  drones.  He  also  states, 
that  in  several  of  his  hives  he  found  drone-laying 
queens,  whose  wings  were  so  imperfect  that  they 
were  unable  to  fly,  and  which  on  examination,  prov- 
ed to  be  uufecundated.  [Query.  How  did  he  ascer- 
tain that  fact?)  Hence  he  concludes  that  the  eggs  laid 
by  the  queen  bee  and  fertile  worker  had  from  the 
previous  impregnation  of  the  Qgg  from  which  they 
sprung,  sufficient  vitality  to  produce  the  drone,  which 
is  a  less  highly  organized  insect  than  the  queen  or 
worker. 

This  argument  is  far  fetched,  and  not  well  found- 
ed. Impregnation  is,  I  think,  essential  to  produce 
either  male  or  female.  He  continues :  "  It  had  long 
been  known  that  the  queen  deposits  drone  eggs  in 
the  large  or  drone  cells,  and  worker  eggs  in  the  small 
or  worker  cells,  and  that  she  makes  no  mistakes." 
And  he  infers,  therefore,  that  there  was  some  way  in 
which  she  was  able  to  decide  the  sex  of  the  Qgg^  be- 
fore it  was  laid,  and  that  she  must  have  such  a  con- 
trol over  the  mouth  of  the  seminal  sac  as  to  be  able 
to  extrude  her  eggs,  allowing  them  at  will  to  receive 
or  not-  a  portion  of  its  fertilizing  contents.     In  this 


52  KKES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

way  lie  thought  she  cletcrniiued  their  sex  according 
to  the  size  of  the  cells  in  which  she  laid  them. 

I  think  it  highly  probable  that  the  queen  under- 
stands quite  well,  that  when  she  deposits  an  egg  in 
a  drone  cell  it  will  bring  forth  a  drone,  and  if  in  a 
worker  cell  it  will  bring  forth  a  worker.  That  she 
does  know  when  it  is  proper  to  deposit  eggs  in  drone 
cells  preparatory  to  swarming  in  the  spring,  is  at 
tested  by  all  ol)serving  apiarians.  Who  ever  saw 
eggs  laid  in  drone  cells  in  midwinter,  or  early  in  the 
spring,  until  nearly  the  time  for  swarming?  Yet  it 
is  well  known  that  all  strong  stocks  commence  to 
breed  early  in  January  (if,  indeed,  they  ever  cease 
entirely);  and  as  the  cold  weather  recedes  the  quan- 
tity is  increased.  In  the  latter  part  of  March  and 
through  April,  a  very  considerable  quantity  of  brood 
may  be  found  in  all  strong  stocks  in  this  latitude, 
42  degrees  (of  course  this  will  vary  with  difierent 
latitudes);  and  yet  not  a  single  drone  can  be  found 
in  any  condition,  from  tlie  Qgg  to  the  perfect  insect. 
I  have  cut  holes  in  a  worker  brood-comb,  and  in- 
serted corresponding  pieces  of  drone-comb,  which 
they  (the  workers)  would  fasten  and  adjust  very 
nicely,  giving  the  appearance  of  drone  cells  inter- 
mixed with  worker  cells,  and  had  all  the  worker 
cells  around  these  drone  cells  filled  with  brood,  but 
they  remained  empty;  sometimes  a  little  honey 
might  be  seen  in  them,  as  if  stored  there  for  imme- 
diate use.  Again  I  have  seen  combs  that  wore  built 
irregular  or  in  detached  pieces ;  of  these  perhaps  a 
piece  of  drone  comb  would  be  in   a  central  posirion, 


HlSTuHY    ANb    PHYSIOLOGY.  ij'6 

and  toward  the  hitter  part  of  April  woukl  be  isur- 
rounded  on  three  sides  by  young  worker  brood,  yet 
not  a  sino'le  eo-o-  or  voiino;  drone  could  be  found  in 
the  drone  cells. 

Some  of  my  readers  will  perhaps  say  that  the 
queen  laid  eggs  in  all  the  cells  in  the  comb  indis- 
criminately, in  drone  as  well  as  worker  cells ;  but  that 
the  workers  would  remove  them  from  drone  cells.  To 
those  who  hold  this  opinion  I  would  say,  try  the  ex- 
periment, by  preparing  an  observatory  hive,  and 
watch  the  queen  when  depositing  eggs ;  and  if  you 
see  her  depositing  a  single  egg  in  drone  cells,  al- 
though you  may  have  them  interspersed  all  through 
and  amongst  the  worker  cells,  prior  to  the  time  of 
the  general,  and  I  might  say  simultaneous  laying  of 
drone  eggs,  preparatory  to  swarming,  I  will  present 
you  with  a  copy  of  this  work,  gratis. 

If  it  is  true  that  the  workers  remove  eggs  from 
the  drone  cells  and  destro}'  them,  as  some  may  sup- 
pose, until  the  proper  time  arrives  for  rearing  drones, 
it  is  another  strong  fact  in  support  of  the  worker 
bees  controlling  the  entire  economy  of  the  hive.  But 
when  the  proper  season  arrives  for  the  great  laying 
of  drone  eggs,  as  Bevan  calls  it,  which  is  generally 
the  last  of  April  or  first  of  May,  drone  eggs  may  be 
found  simultaneously  in  all  strong  stocks  that  are  or 
have  been  similarly  situated;  tliis  will  be  varied  by 
the  weather  and  by  the  yield  of  honey.  That  the 
queen  understands  when  the  proper  time  arrives  for 
rearing  drones,  and  that  no  drone  eggs  are  laid  prior 
5* 


54  BEES    AND    KEK-KEEPIXy. 

to  that  time,  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt;  whether 
this  is  caused  by  tlie  peculiarity  of  the  food  given 
her,  or  from  some  other  cause,  I  am  yet  undecided. 
But  that  she  can  fully  control  the  producing  and  the 
laying  of  eggs  to  generate  workers,  when  it  is  best 
so  to  do,  withholding  for  a  time,  and  when  the  proper 
time  arrives,  laying  eggs  to  produce  drones  or  males, 
is  quite  certain.  Hence  I  conclude  that  if  she  can 
control  the  laying  of  drone  eggs  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  she  can  control  it  in  the  summer,  or  at  any 
season ;  in  short,  that  the  queen  knows  the  sex  be- 
fore depositing  the  egg  in  the  cell,  and  never  makes 
any  mistakes. 

If  the  theory  is  correct  that  the  sex  of  the  future 
bee  is  decided  simply  by  a  mechanical  operation, 
caused  by  the  pressure  upon  the  abdomen  of  the 
queen,  in  the  act  of  depositing  an  egg  in  a  worker 
cell,  thereby  forcing  a  sufficient  portion  of  the  male 
sperm  out  upon  the  egg  during  its  passage  to  fertil- 
ize it,  and  cause  it  to  be  a  female  or  a  worker ;  and 
in  depositing  an  egg  in  a  drone  cell,  it  being  so  much 
larger,  no  pressure  occurs,  and  consequently  it  will 
be  a  drone,  the  queen  having  no  special  knowledge 
or  will  on  the  subject ;  how  does  it  happen  that  no 
drone  eggs  are  found  prior  to  a  certain  time  in  the 
season?  If  this  speculation  is  correct,  then  the 
queen  would  deposit  eggs  at  any  season  of  the  year 
in  drone  cells,  where,  intermixed  with  worker  cells 
in  the  same  comb  presenting  an  unbroken  surface, 
drones  would  be  reared  at  all  seasons,  if  any  brood 


IIISTORV    AND    PHYSIOLOGY. 


was  reared  at  all ;  but  this  not  being  the  case,  is 
very  strong  evidence  that  the  theory  is  at  fault,  in 
fact,  that  it  is  not  true  in  any  sense. 


LANGSTROTH  S    THEORY. 


Langstroth  says :  "  My  friend,  Mr.  Samuel  Wag- 
oner, has  advanced  a  highly  ingenious  theory,  which 
accounts  for  all  the  facts,  without  admitting  that  the 
queen  has  any  special  knowledge  or  will  on  the  sub- 
ject. He  supposes  that  when  she  deposits  her  eggs 
in  the  worker  cells,  her  body  is  slightly  compressed 
by  their  size,  thus  causing  the  eggs,  as  they  pass  the 
spermatheca,  to  receive  its  vivifying  influence.  On 
the  contrary,  when  she  is  laying  in  drone  cells,  as 
this  compression  cannot  take  place,  the  mouth  of  the 
spermatheca  is  kept  closed,  and  the  eggs  are  neces- 
sarily unfecundated,  producing  only  drones,  &c." 

This  is  a  very  plausible  theory,  indeed,  and  in  the 
absence  of  positive  evidence  pro  or  cow,  it  might  as 
well  be  received  (for  Buncomb).  Yet  I  must  say,  I 
have  no  faith  in  it.  Facts,  and  further  experience  and 
observation,  will,  I  apprehend,  demonstrate  its  fallacy. 

The  seminal  sac,  as  shown  by  the  drawing  of  the 
ovaries  of  the  queen,  highly  magnified,  in  Lang- 
stroth's  work,  is  near  the  terminus  or  outer  end  of 
the  oviduct,  consequently  very  near  the  hinder  part 
of  the  queen ;  now  compare  the  size  of  this  part  of 
the  bod}^  of  the  queen  with  the  size  of  the  worker 
cells,  and  we  find  that  the  particular  part  where  this 
sac  is  located  could  be  thrust  to  the  bottom  of  the  cell 
without  coming  in  contact  with  its  sides.    No  pressure 


50  bEKS    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

could  occur  until  about  two-thirds  oi'  the  abdomen, 
or  the  parts  behind  the  thorax,  were  thrust  in  ;  thus 
whatever  pressure  mi<jht  occur,  would  be  at  a  point 
some  distance  from  where  this  sac  is  located,  and 
would  not  necessarily  influence  it  in  any  respect ;  in 
fact  no  pressure  could  occur  b}'  this  process  on  the 
part  where  this  seminal  sac  is  located,  if  the  anat- 
omy of  the  queen  is  properly  illustrated  by  Lang- 
stroth's  microscopic  view. 

There  is  another  fact,  however,  in  the  practice  of 
the  queen,  which,  I  presume,  has  been  noticed  by  all 
apiarians,  and  is  sufficient  to  show  this  theory  to  be 
incorrect.  When  a  top-swarm,  that  has  the  old  queen 
with  them,  is  put  in  a  hive,  they  immediately  com- 
mence building  combs,  generally  worker  cells ;  the 
queen  follows  them  and  deposits  eggs  in  the  cells, 
when  the  foundation  is  laid  and  the  side  walls  of  the 
cells  are  not  more  than  one-sixteenth,  and  certainly 
not  more  than  one-eighth  of  an  inch  high.  Is  it 
possible  that  the  abdomen  of  the  queen  receives  any 
pressure  from  the  sides  of  the  cells  whilst  in  the  act 
of  thrusting  her  ovipositor  into  the  cell  to  deposit  the 
egg'i  Is  it  probable  she  w^ould  receive  any  greater 
pressure,  in  any  possible  contingency,  in  depositing 
eggs  in  worker  cells  than  in  drone  cells,  when  neither 
of  them  is  more  than  one-eighth  of  an  inch  deep? 
Eggs  are  frequently  thus  deposited,  both  in  worker 
and  drone  cells,  the  bees  continuing  to  rear  the  cells 
until  of  the  proper  length.  Such  a  theory  is,  in  my 
opinion,  simply  absurd,  but  well  calculated  to  amuse 
the  ignorant  and  unobserving. 


HISTORY    AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  57 

At  present  I  shall  content  myself  with  believing, 
that  a  sufficient  portion  of  the  seminal  fluid  to  cause 
the  egg  to  generate  is  incorporated  with  it  in  its  for- 
mation. The  eggs  to  produce  drones  or  males,  are 
generated  in  or  produced  from  the  one  side  or  branch 
of  the  ovaries,  and  those  producing  females  from  the 
other  side.  AVe  lind  that  the  ovaries  are  separated 
into  two  equal  parts  (according  to  Swammerdam, 
after  whom  Langstroth  copies),  having  no  connec- 
tion whatever,  except  that  the  contents  of  each 
branch  is  discharged  through  the  common  oviduct 
or  passage.  Over  the  outlets  of  the  passages  or  ovi- 
ducts opening  from  each  of  these  divisions  into  the 
main  channel  or  common  oviduct,  the  queen  has  full 
control,  and  fully  understands  that  eggs  from  the  one 
division  will  produce  drones  and  from  the  other, 
workers  ;  and  the  anomaly  of  drone-laying  queens 
arises  from  the  imperfect  development  of  that  part 
of  the  ovaries  which  produce  eggs  for  workers.  This 
hypothesis  may  be  incorrect,  but  I  trust  careful  ex- 
periment wull  be  instituted  by  various  apiarians,  that 
the  truth  may  be  fully  and  fairly  demonstrated. 

THE    WORKER    BEE. 

The  working  or  common  bees  are  so 
often  seen,  and  have  become  so  familiar 
to  almost  every  one,  that  a  particular  de- 
scription may  almost  appear  unneces- 
sary ;  yet  for  the  sake  of  uniformity,  I 

They  are   less  in  size  than   either  the  queen   or 


68  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

drones,  and  the  name  they  have  so  justly  obtained, 
of  working  bees,  clearly  denotes  their  superior  in- 
dustry in  laboring  for  the  whole  colony.  It  is  now 
generally  admitted  that  they  are  females,  whose  ova- 
ries are  not  suificiently  developed  to  enable  them  to 
become  mothers  ;  yet  thej^  most  undoubtedly  possess 
all  the  maternal  atfectiou  and  care  for  the  young 
of  the  colony,  nursing  them,  so  to  speak,  and  sup- 
plying all  their  wants  ;  in  time  of  threatened  Sanger 
they  will  cling  to  them,  and  risk  their  lives  to  protect 
them,  as  devotedly  as  any  mother  could  do  for  her 
own  offspring. 

I  have  never  ascertained  how  many  bees  are  re- 
quired to  constitute  what  is  generally  called  a  good 
swarm,  but  authors  estimate  the  number  at  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  thousand  workers ;  this,  of  course, 
will  be  varied  very  much  by  the  season  and  other  cir- 
cumstances. This  estimate  would,  perhaps,  apply  to 
top-swarms  from  good  sized  hives.  Bonner  says  that 
about  five  thousand  workers  weigh  a  pound ;  if  this 
estimate  is  correct,  it  would  be  easy,  on  hiving  a 
swarm,  to  ascertain  its  numbers,  b}-  first  weighing 
the  hive  and  afterward  both  hive  and  swarm. 

DESCRIPTION    OF   THE   WORKER. 

The  common  worker  bee,  as  well  as  the  other  two 
varieties  of  that  valuable  insect,  consists  of  three 
parts.  The  head,  which  is  attached  to  the  thorax  by 
a  slender  kind  pf  neck;  there  are  two  eyes  placed 
in  the  head,  of  an  oblong  figure,  dark  brown  or 
nearly  black,  transparent  and  immovable  ;  the  mouth 


HISTORY   AND   PHYSIOLOGY.  50 

or  jaws,  like  those  of  some  species  of  fish,  open  to 
the  right  and  left,  and  serve  instead  of  hands  to  carry 
out  of  the  hive  whatever  incumbers  or  oiFends  them  ; 
thej'  are  also  provided  with  a  proboscis  or  trunk,  with 
which  they  suck  up  honey  or  any  other  desired  sub- 
stance, and  again  deposit  it  in  the  combs;  it  is  used 
at  times  as  a  trowel  in  building  combs,  placing  with 
it  the  minute  scales  of  wax  in  their  appropriate 
places,  and  giving  the  desired  polish  to  the  cells.  The 
thorax,  or  middle  part  between  the  head  and  the  ab- 
domen, which  is  nearly  separated  from  the  latter  by 
an  insection  or  division,  connected  by  a  very  narrow 
neck  or  junction;  to  this  four  wings,  a  pair  on  each 
side,  are  attached,  by  which  they  are  not  only  enabled 
to  fly  with  heavy  loads,  but  also  to  make  those  well 
known  sounds  by  which  they  doubtless  communicate 
with  each  other,  serving  as  a  kind  of  speech.  They 
have  also  six  legs,  three  on  each  side ;  the  foremost 
pair  of  these  is  the  shortest— with  these  they  unload 
the  little  pellets  from  the  baskets  on  their  thighs ; 
the  middle  pair  is  somewhat  longer,  and  the  hind- 
most pair  longest  of  all ;  on  the  outside  of  the 
middle  joint  of  these  last  there  is  a  small  cavity,  in 
the  form  of  what  a  Scotchman  would  call  a  marrow 
spoon,  by  some  it  is  called  a  basket,  in  which  they 
collect  those  loads  of  pollen  which  are  frequently 
seen  going  into  the  hive,  and  by  many  supposed  to 
be  wax.  This  basket  or  hollow  groove  in  the  thigh 
is  peculiar  to  the  worker;  neither  queen  nor  drone 
has  any  thing  of  the  kind.  The  belly  is  composed 
of  six  rings  or  folds,  and  contains,  besides  the  intes- 


60  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

tines  of  the  insect,  the  honey  sac  or  bladder,  the 
poison  sac  and  the  sting.  The  honey  sac  is  a  reser- 
voir into  which  is  deposited  the  honey  the  bee  sips 
from  the  flowers,  passing  it  through  the  proboscis 
and  the  narrow  pipes  leading  directly  to  the  honey 
sac ;  when  full  it  is  the  size  of  a  small  pea,  and  so 
transparent  that  the  color  of  the  honey  can  be  dis- 
tinguished through  it ;  this  sac  is  provided  with  a 
set  of  muscles,  by  which  it  is  compressed  at  will, 
enabling  the  bee  to  empty  it  into  the  cells.  When 
they  get  honey  in  large  quantities,  and  are  engaged 
filling  this  sac,  the  rings  of  the  abdomen  have  a  vibra- 
tor}'  motion,  similar  to  pumping ;  the  sac  is  entirely 
separate  from  the  stomach. 

Every  w^orker  is  armed  and  equipped  for  war,  both 
offensive  and  defensive ;  their  sting  is  a  small  but 
very  effective  weapon.  Many  men  would  flee  fro-m 
an  attack  by  such  weapons,  who  would  scorn  to  turn 
their  backs  upon  the  bristling  bayonet  or  the  death- 
dealing  cannon's  mouth.  The  sting  is  provided  with 
minute  but  very  powerful  muscles,  by  means  of  which 
the  bee  can  dart  it  out  with  force  sufficient  to  pene- 
trate through  the  thick  skin  of  a  man's  hand.  In 
length  it  is  about  the  sixth  part  of  an  inch,  largest  at 
the  root,  tapering  gradually  toward  the  point,  which 
is  extremel}'  small  and  sharp.  When  examined  with 
a  microscope,  it  appears  to  be  polished  extremely 
smooth,  being  composed  of  a  horny  substance.  It  is 
hollow  within,  like  a  tube,  through  which  the  poison 
flows  when  a  wound  is  inflicted.  The  point  of  the 
sting  is  barbed,  so  that  it  is  quite  impossible  for  the 


HISTORY   AND    PUYSIOLOGY.  61 

bee  to  withdraw  it  from  the  wound,  but  the  act  of 
stinging  any  animal  is  generally  fatal  to  itself,  tearing 
out,  as  it  were,  a  part  of  the  entrails  with  the  sting. 
These  workers  may  be  said  to  compose  the  whole 
community,  except  in  the  season  of  the  drones,  which 
hardly  lasts  four  months ;  during  the  rest  of  the  year 
there  are  no  others  found  in  the  hive  than  workers 
and  the  queen.  The  whole  labor  of  the  hive  is  per- 
formed by  them ;  they  build  the  combs,  collect  the 
honey,  bring  it  home,  and  store  it  up  in  their  waxen 
magazines ;  they  take  charge  of  the  eggs  deposited 
by  the  queen,  and  rear  therefrom  queens,  worker 
bees  and  drones ;  they  remove  all  incumbrances  from 
the  hives,  and  defend  the  community  against  the 
attack  and  encroachments  of  enemies ;  they  also  kill 
or  drive  out  the  drones  when  their  services  are  no 
longer  necessary :  in  short,  the  workers  undertake 
and  accomplish  everything  that  is  necessary  to  the 
welfare  of  the  entire  colony,  except  furnishing  eggs 
to  replenish  the  hive  with  a  succession  of  young  ones 
to  take  the  place  of  the  superannuated. 

THE    DRONE. 

The  drones  are  a  species  of  bees 
well  known ;  in  fact  so  distinctive  is 
the  name,  that  it  is  frequently  applied 
to  designate  a  certain  class  of  man- 
kind. The  drone  can  easily  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  worker  bee  by 
its  greater  bulk  and  clumsy,  uncouth 
appearance;  it  is  both  thicker  and  longer;  its  head 
6 


TIIS   DRONE. 


62  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

is  round,  eggs  full,  and  tongue  or  proboscis  short; 
the  form  of  the  abdomen  or  belly  is  quite  different 
from  both  queen  and  worker,  the  organs  of  generation 
being  located  in  the  drone  where  the  sting  is  found 
in  the  worker.  It  makes  a  much  coarser  and  more 
boisterous  noise  when  flying,  a  peculiarity  of  itself 
sufficient  to  recognize  it. 

The  drone  is  now  admitted  by  all  writers  to  be  the 
male  bee.  A  careful  examination  of  their  physical 
organization  shows. this  clearly;  they  have  no  sting 
to  defend  themselves  with ;  in  short,  they  are  physic- 
ally disqualified  for  the  performance  of  any  needful 
work  in  the  colony  ;  the  only  necessity  for  their  pre- 
sence seems  to  be  to  impregnate  the  young  queens. 
When  this  is  accomplished,  or  circumstances  change 
so  that  they  are  no  longer  wanted  for  this  purpose, 
the  workers  either  kill  them  or  drive  them  out  of 
the  hive,  and  there  permit  them  to  starve.  If  a  hive 
has  by  any  accident  lost  its  queen,  the  drones  are  per- 
mitted to  live,  with  the  hope,  no  doubt,  that  a  young 
queen  may  yet  be  raised,  and  their  services  needed. 

The  drones  generally  make  their  appearance  in 
this  latitude,  in  the  latter  part  of  April  or  first  of 
May;  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  California,  about 
the  middle  to  latter  part  of  March.  Tliis  is  also 
varied  by  locality  and  circumstances.  They  generally 
appear  in  very  strong  stocks,  a  little  earlier  than 
others ;  but  there  is  a  strange  unanimity  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  drones  in  the  spring.  In  very  weak 
stocks,  few  if  any  appear  until  perhaps  the  latter  part 
of  the  clover,  or  beginning  of  the  buckwheat,  season. 


HISTORY   AND    PHYSIOLOGY.  63 

The  number  iu  a  hive  is  sometimes  very  large, 
amounting  to  hundreds  and  even  thousands.  In 
apiaries  where  a  considerable  number  of  colonies  are 
kept,  but  few  drones  should  be  raised  in  one  hive; 
these  will  suflS.ce  for  all  practical  purposes,  as  the  num- 
ber in  the  aggregate  is  large.  Any  more  than  are 
necessary  to  impregnate  all  the  young  queens  is  a 
detriment  to  the  welfare  of  the  colony,  being  large 
consumers  of  honey  without  producing  any ;  hence 
it  is  important  to  regulate  the  number.  This  can  be 
done  very  readily,  in  the  movable  comb  hives,  by 
removing  drone  combs  and  cutting  out  drone-brood, 
when  there  is  an  excess  in  any  one  hive.  AVhere 
only  one  or  two  hives  are  kept,  a  greater  proportion 
is  necessary,  to  insure  the  meeting  of  the  queen  in 
the  air  by  a  drone,  without  subjecting  her  to  the  risk 
of  being  lost  by  roaming  lOO  long  in  search  of  one. 

DRONE-LAYING   QUEENS. 

Occasionally  a  queen  is  found  whose  eggs  bring 
only  drones,  even  if  deposited  in  worker  cells.  We 
have  had  several  cases  of  this  kind  during  the  last 
few  years  ;  two  cases  occurred  the  past  summer.  In 
one  case  I  imprisoned  the  queen  iu  a  cage,  and  kept 
her  in  a  hive  that  had  a  fertile  queen ;  the  workers 
fed  her  and  treated  her  kindly  for  a  period  of  three 
weeks.  I  then  put  her  into  a  small  artificial  swarm, 
that  was  destitute  of  a  queen,  but  she  very  soon 
began  again  to  lay  drone  eggs,  when  I  destroyed  her. 
She  seemed  perfect  to  all  app.earance,  no  deformity 
could  be  discovered,  and  she  could  fly  with  ease.     It 


64  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

is  argued  by  Langstroth  and  others,  that  all  queens 
that  fail  to  become  impregnated  within  a  certain 
period  after  maturity,  invariably  lay  drone  eggs,  and 
consequently  it  is  not  necessary  to  have  connection 
with  the  drone  to  produce  males,  it  only  being  so  in 
order  to  produce  females.  Although  there  are  strong 
arguments  in  favor  of  this  theor}-,  yet  I  am  not  pre- 
pared to  fully  indorse  it ;  as  already  stated,  I  think 
the  true  cause  may  be  found  in  a  defect  in  the  phy- 
sical structure  of  the  queen,  which  causes  her  to 
produce  only  males.  A  careful  microscopic  exami- 
nation would,  I  think,  disclose  the  fact  to  be  a 
deficiency  in  the  ovaries  where  the  female  eggs  are 
generated.  I  will  experiment  further  upon  this 
point,  and  satisfy  myself,  at  least,  of  the  truth,  and 
trust  others  will  do  the  same. 

FERTILE    WORKERS. 

I  have  seen  some  three  or  four  cases  of  fertile 
workers,  or  a  bee  differing  so  little  from  the  most  of 
workers  as  not  to  be  distinguished  from  them,  even 
by  a  very  careful  examination,  but  yet  is  capable 
of  laying  eggs.  Two  cases  of  this  kind  occurred  in 
the  last  lot  of  bees  shipped  by  me  to  California,  in 
the  fall  of  1858.  On  opening  them,  one  colony  was 
observed  that  had  no  queen,  yet  eggs  were  found  in 
drone  cells,  gcnerall}^  two  or  three,  and  in  some  as 
many  as  four  in  one  cell ;  a  space  of  throe  or  four 
inches  square  of  comb  was  thus  occupied  ;  a  few 
were  hatched  in  the  larva  state.  I  made  a  very 
thorough  search,  but    no  queen,    nor    anything  re- 


HISTORY    AND    PIIYSIOLOm'.  C5 

sembling  one,  could  be  found ;  the  colouy  bad  united 
with  another  that  had  a  fertile  queen.  A  few  weeks 
after  arriving*,  another  colony  was,  observed  in  the 
same  condition  ;  a  few  drones  were  capped,  others 
in  the  larva  state,  but  I  think  they  did  not  possess 
sufficient  vitality  to  mature. 

Some  writers  account  for  their  ability  to  lay  eggs, 
by  supposing  that  the  workers  accidentally  dropped 
a  portion  of  royal  jelly  in  cells  where  young  workers 
were  advancing,  which  developed  their  ovaries  suffi- 
ciently to  produce  eggs  ;  but  I  think  facts  will  dis- 
prove this  theory,  when  we  consider  that  bees  are  so 
skillful  and  perfect  in  all  their  operations,  doing 
nothing  at  random,  and  nothing  by  accident;  and 
when  we  observe  that  the  queen  cells  are  constructed 
in  a  perpendicular  form,  and  isolated,  as  it  were, 
from  the  common  worker  cells,  it  seems  very  improb- 
able, indeed,  that  it  can  be  so.  As  I  have  already 
intimated,  I  believe  all  stages  of  development,  be- 
tween the  worker  and  the  perfect  queen,  are  occa- 
sionally found  in  the  hive,  and  the  fertile  is  so 
little  different  in  appearance  from  the  worker  as  not 
to  be  detected.  That  such  exist  'there  is  abundant 
proof,  although  Mr.  Quinby  affiscts  to  disbelieve  it. 
This,  however,  is  easily  accounted  for,  when  we  take 
into  consideration  that,  when  he  wrote  his  work,  he 
used  only  the  square  box  hive,  in  which  it  would  be 
very  difficult,  indeed  almost  impossible,  to  make  ob- 
servations with  sufficient  care  to  ascertain  the  true 
state  of  the  case,  until  the  bees  would  dwindle  away; 
and  iinally,  it  would  be  [)ronounced  a  case  of  lost 


66  tJEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

queen,  (wliich  would  be  true  in  a  certain  sense,)  witli- 
out  even  suspecting  the  abortive  attempts  to  till  her 
place  by  a  fertile  worker. 

The  existence  of  fertile  workers  has  long  been 
known  to  eminent  writers,  and  this  fact  is  brought 
forward  to  prove  conclusively  that  the  common 
workers  are  females.  Bevan  says :  That  the  working 
bees  are  females,  is  clear,  from  the  circumstance  of 
their  being  known  to  lay  eggs ;  this  fact  was  first 
noticed  by  Riem,  and  was  afterward  confirmed  by 
Huber,  whose  assistant  on  one  occasion  seized  a  fer- 
tile worker  in  the  very  act  of  laying. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  these  fertile  workers 
never  lay  any  but  drone  eggs.  This  uninterrupted 
laying  of  drone  eggs  was  noticed  by  the  Lusatian 
observers,  as  well  as  by  those  of  the  Palatinate. 
Bonnet,  on  referring  to  this  fact,  supposes  there  must 
have  been  small  queens  mixed  with  the  workers 
upon  which  the  experiments  were  made,  whose  ofRce 
it  was  to  lay  male  eggs  in  all  hives.  Fertile  workers 
appear  smaller  in  the  belly  and  more  slender  in  the 
body  than  sterile  workers,  and  this  is  the  only  exter- 
nal difterence  between  them,  says  Bevan. 

If  any  further  proof  to  establish  the  fact  of  work- 
el's  being  fertile  is  needed,  we  have  it  in  the  dissec- 
tions of  Miss  Jurine,  daughter  of  a  distinguished 
naturalist  of  Geneva.  By  adopting  a  peculiar  meth- 
od of  preparing  the  subject,  she  brought  into  view 
the  rudiments  of  the  ovaria  of  the  common  worker 
bee ;  her  examination  was  repeated  several  times, 
always  with  the  same  resuTts. 


SPRING. 
CHAPTER  II. 

BREEDING. 
REARING   BROOD. 

In  this  latitude  all  strong,  stocks  begin  to  rear 
brood  in  January ;  indeed,  in  many  cases  they  do  not 
entirely  cease ;  and  I  believe  this  is  their  natural 
habit  in  climes  most  congenial  to  them.  They  begin 
by  depositing  eggs  in  a  circle  on  each  side  of  a  comb, 
exactly  opposite  each  other,  and  thus  the  heat  is 
economized  and  concentrated  to  the  best  possible  ad- 
vantage. I  have  frequently  seen  this  circle  not  more 
than  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  but  the  amount 
is  gradually  increased  toward  spring ;  and  when  the 
weather  becomes  warm  and  the  fruit  tree  flowers 
expand,  the  quantity  of  brood  is  greatly  augmented. 

Here,  again,  we  are  constrained  to  believe  that  the 
bee  possesses  almost  reasoning  power.  The  colony  is 
being  constantly  reduced  by  the  number  dying  off 
during  the  winter,  and  in  many  cases  if  no  young 
ones  were  reared  to  supply  tlieir  places,  the  colony 
would  become  extinct  before  warm  weather  arrived ; 
if  but  a  small  number  is  being  constantly  reared,  it 
Berves  to  keep  up  the  colony.  It  requires,  says 
Bevan,  70  degrees  Fahrenheit  to  hatch  the  eggs,  con- 
yequently  weak  stocks  can  make  but  little  progress 

(67) 


68  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

until  warm  weather;  hence  it  is  that  strong  stocks 
outstrip  them  so  far,  and  are  so  much  more  prof- 
itable. 

MODE    OF   COMMEXCINO. 

I  quote  from  Mr.  Quiuby :  "  The  first  eggs  are 
deposited  in  the  centre  of  the  chister  of  bees,  in  a 
small  family ;  it  may  not  be  in  the  centre  of  the  hive 
in  all  cases ;  but  the  middle  of  the  cluster  is  the 
warmest  place,  wherever  located.  Here  the  queen 
will  first  commence ;  a  few  cells,  or  a  space  not 
larger  than  a  dollar,  is  first  used,  those  exactly  oppo- 
site on  the  same  comb  are  next  occupied.  If  the 
warmth  of  the  hive  will  allow,  whether  mild  weather 
produces  it  or  the  famil}^  be  large  enough  to  generate 
that  which  is  artificial,  appears  to  make  no  difier- 
ence ;  she  will  then  take  the  next  comb  exactly 
corresponding  with  the  first  commencement,  but  not 
quite  so  large  a  place  is  used  as  in  the  first  comb. 
The  circle  of  eggs  is  then  enlarged,  and  more  are 
added  in  the  next,  &c.  continuing  to  spread  to  the 
next  combs,  keeping  the  distance  to  the  outside  of  the 
circle  of  eggs,  to  the  centre  or  place  of  beginning, 
about  equal  on  all  sides,  until  they  occupy  the  outside 
comb.  Long  before  the  outside  comb  is  occupied, 
the  first  eggs  deposited  are  matured,  and  the  queen 
will  return  to  the  centre  and  use  these  cells  again, 
but'is  not  so  particular  this  time  to  fill  so  many  in 
such  exact  order  as  at  first.  This  is  the  general  pro- 
cess of  small  or  medium  families.  I  have  removed 
the  bees  from  such  in  all  stages  of  breeding,  and 
always  found  their  proceedings  as  described," 


BREEDING.  69 

MODE    OF   LAYING   EGGS   DESCRIBED. 

Mr.  Dunbar,  an  eminent  Scotch  apiarian,  in  a 
communication  to  the  Edinburgh  Philosophical  Mag- 
azine, gives  an  account  of  the  queen's  manner  of 
depositing  eggs,  which  agrees  so  nearly  with  my 
own  observations,  that  I  give  it  in  his  own  words. 
Pie  states  that  when  the  queen  is  about  to  lay,  she 
first  puts  her  head  into  the  cell  (apparently  to  assure 
herself  that  it  is  in  proper  condition  to  receive  the 
Ggg),  and  remains  in  that  position  for  a  second  or 
two ;  she  then  withdraws  her  head,  and  curving  her 
body  downward  inserts  her  tail  into  the  cell ;  in  a 
few  seconds  she  turns  half  round  upon  herself  and 
withdraws,  leaving  an  egg  behind  her,  sticking  to 
the  bottom  of  the  cell  by  a  kind  of  glue  or  sticky 
substance,  with  which  she  seems  to  be  provided  for 
the  purpose  of  holding  it  in  its  proper  place  until 
hatched.  When  she  lays  a  considerable  number  she 
does  it  equally  on  each  side  of  the  comb,  those  on 
one  side  being  exactly  opposite  to  those  on  the  other, 
as  the  relative  position  of  the  cells  will  admit ;  the 
effect  of  this  is  to  produce  a  concentration  and  econ- 
omy of  heat  for  de-veloping  the  various  changes  of 
the  brood. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE   EGGS. 

The  eggs  of  bees  are  of  an  oblong  or  oval  shape, 
with  a  slight  curvature,  and  of  a  bluish  white  color, 
about  the  size  of  those  which  are  laid  by  the  butter- 
fly upon  cabbage  leaves,  and  are  composed  of  a  thin 
membrane,  filled  with  a  whitish  liquor.  They  remain 
unchanged  in  figure  or  situation  in  the  cell  for  four 


70  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

days,  when  they  are  hatched,  the  bottom  of  each  cell 
presenting  to  view  a  white  worm  or  maggot,  of  very 
small  size,  with  several  ventral  rings.  Immediately 
upon  its  hatching,  or  just  previous  to  it,  the  workers 
supply  it  with  a  very  minute  portion  of  food  of  a 
whitish  color,  which  is  increased  daily  until  the  worm 
seems  to  float  on  a  kind  of  white  liquid  substance, 
which  is  without  doubt  their  food,  and  so  nicely  do 
they  gauge  the  necessary  amount,  that  all  is  con-, 
sumed,  no  surplus  ever  being  found  in  the  cell  after 
the  insect  is  matured  and  emerges. 

When  the  worm  grows  so  large  as  to  touch  the 
opposite  angle  of  the  cell,  it  coils  itself  up  in  a  semi- 
circle, and  gradually  increases  its  dimensions  until 
the  two  ends  touch  each  other,  forming  a  ring; 
whilst  in  these  preliminary  stages  of  existence  it  is 
called  by  various  names,  such  as  worm,  larva,  maggot 
and  grub.  Apiarians  are  not  decided  as  to  the  exact 
composition  of  the  food  given  them ;  some  suppose 
that  pollen  or  bee-bread  is  the  principal  food  required, 
whilst  others  think  it  is  a  mixture  of  pollen,  honey 
and  water,  partly  digested  in  the  stomach  of  the 
nursing  bees,  the  relative  proportions  of  honey  and 
pollen  varying  according  to  the  age  of  the  young. 
According  to  Be  van,  the  compound  at  first  is  nearly 
insipid,  but  gradually  receives  an  accession  of  sweet- 
ness and  acescency,  which  increases  as  the  insects 
approach  maturity. 


BREEDING.  71 

YOUNG   BEES   REARED    WITHOUT    AVATEH. 

That  a  large  proportion  of  pollen  or  bee-bread  is 
used  to  feed  the  young  bees,  is,  I  think,  very  evident. 
I  have  almost  invariably  found,  that  when  breeding 
i-s  commenced,  pollen  is  stored  immediately  adjoin- 
ing or  very  near  the  brood;  a  strip  of  three  or  more 
cells  in  width  generally  surrounds  it.  If  at  a  season 
when  they  are  gathering  and  storing  it,  and  fre- 
quently before  they  get  any  from  abroad,  they  will 
remove  it  from  some  other  part  of  the  combs,  so  as 
to  have  it  convenient,  apparently  for  immediate  use. 
This  is  also  noticed  by  Bevan  and  Quinby. 

Pollen  and  honey  are,  I  think,  all  that  is  necessary 
or  used  in  rearing  brood,  Langstroth  to  the  contrary, 
notwithstanding. 

I  have  had  bees  contined  for  a  period  of  forty- 
eight  days,  about  one-third  of  which  time  they  were 
in  a  warm  latitude,  in  transit  to  California;  not  a 
single  drop  of  water  did  they  get  during  all  that 
time,  and  yet  they  reared  and  matured  brood  on  the 
way;  and  it  was  found  in  some  strong  colonies,  in  all 
stages  from  the  egg  to  those  just  emerging  from  the 
cells,  on  their  arrival  at  Sacramento.  In  this  case  I 
am  quite  certain  that  nothing  but  honey  and  pollen 
were  used  to  feed  the  young,  or  indeed  to  supply  the 
wants  of  the  old  or  mature  bees  of  the  colony; 
hence  I  conclude  that  these  two  ingredients  form  the 
food  of  the  young  bees.  In  this  my  experience  ac- 
cords exactly  with  Mr.  Quinby. 

He  says :  "  Some  think  it  (water)  is  necessary  iu 


72  BEES  AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

rearing  brood ;  it  may  be  needed  for  that,  but  yet  1 
have  doubts  if  a  particle  is  given  to  the  young  bee 
besides  what  the  honey  contains.  I  have  known 
stocks  (he  continues,)  repeatedly  to  mature  brood 
from  the  egg  to  the  perfect  bee,  when  shut  in  a  dark 
room  for  months,  where  it  was  impossible  to  obtain 
a  drop;  also  stocks  that  stand  in  the  cold,  if  good, 
will  mature  some  brood,  w^hether  the  bees  can  leave 
the  hive  or  not."  These  facts  prove  that  some  are 
reared  without  water. 

WHEN    AND    HOW  BROOD    IS    SEALED   UP   IN    THE   CELLS    AND 
PERFECTED. 

The  larva,  deriving  its  sustenance  from  the  food,  as 
has  been  intimated,  continues  to  increase  in  size  rap- 
idly until  it  occupies  the  whole  breadth  and  very  nearly 
the  length  of  the  cell,  which  generally  occurs  about 
the  sixth  day  from  the  time  the  egg  is  hatched,  or 
from  eight  to  ten  days  from  the  time  it  was  laid; 
and  this  time  is  varied  by  the  weather,  the  tempera- 
ture in  the  hive,  amount  of  honey  being  collected, 
&c.  I  find  authors  differing  on  this  point,  and  con- 
demning each  other  for  an  apparent  discrepancy  in 
their  statements,  thereby  insinuating  that  they  were 
not  to  be  relied  on.  Time  was,  when  I  might  have 
been  led  into  this  error,  before  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  observing  the  eifects  of  climate  and  other  circum- 
stances upon  the  development  of  brood.  Circum- 
stances make  as  great,  or  perhaps  a  greater,  differ- 
ence in  the  time  of  brood  maturing  as  exists  in  the 


BREEDING.  73 

Statements  of  difterent  authors ;  hence  I  conclude 
that  no  writer  can  tell,  from  a  single  stand-point, 
what  time  it  requires  for  brood  to  mature. 

The  nursing  bees  now  seal  up  the  cell  with  a  light 
brown  cover,  more  or  less  convex.  The  cap  of  the 
drone  cells  is  more  convex  than  that  of  the  worker, 
and  thus  differing  from  the  honey  cells,  which  are 
composed  of  pure  wax,  and  are  whiter  and  somewhat 
concave.  The  larva  is  no  sooner  perfectly  inclosed 
than  it  begins  to  labor,  alternately  extending  and 
shortening  its  body,  whilst  it  lines  the  cell  by  spin- 
ning around  itself,  after  the  manner  of  the  silk 
worm,  a  whitish  silky  film  or  cocoon,  which  adheres 
firmly  to  the  walls  of  the  cell,  remaining  there  after 
the  bee  emerges.  It  may  appear  somewhat  extraor- 
dinary that  a  creature  that  takes  its  food  so  vora- 
ciously prior  to  assuming  the  pupa  state,  should  live 
so  long  without  any ;  but  it  seems  when  it  has  at- 
tained to  the  pupa  state  it  has  reached  its  full  growth, 
and  probably  the  nutriment  taken  so  greedily  is  to 
serve  as  a  store  for  developing  the  perfect  insect. 
When  in  the  pupa  or  chrysalis  state,  it  presents  no  ap- 
pearance of  external  members,  and  retains  no  very 
marked  indications  of  life ;  but  within  its  case  its 
organs  are  gradually  and  fully  developing,  and  its 
integuments  hardening  and  consolidating. 

The  working  bee  nymph  spins  its  cocoons  in  thirty- 
six  hours.  After  passing  about  three  daj^s  in  this 
state  of  preparation  for  a  new  existence,  it  gradually 
undergoes  so  great  a  change  as  not  to  retain  a  vestige 
of  its  previous  form,  but  becomes  armed  with  scales 
7 


74  ^££S   Aiit)   fcEE-KEEPlSTG. 

of  i\  dark  brown  color  on  its  belly ;  six  rings  become 
visible,  which  by  slipping  one  over  another  enables 
the  bee  to  shorten  its  body.  When  it  has  reached 
about  the  twentieth  day  of  its  existence  from  the 
time  the  egg  was  laid,  it  comes  forth  a  perfect  bee  J 
veiy  weak  and  feeble  at  iirst,  and  is  usually  roughly 
treated  by  the  workers  of  a  more  advanced  age. 
The  lining  or  cocoon  is  left  in  the  cell  in  which  it 
was  spun,  causing  the  breeding  cells  to  become 
smaller  and  the  partitions  thicker,  as  often  as  they 
change  their  tenants,  until  finally,  after  several  years, 
they  become  too  small  to  rear  brood  in  to  advantage, 
when  they  should  be  changed. 

The  drone  passes  three  days  in  the  egg,  six  and  a 
half  as  a  worm,  and  comes  forth  a  perfect  insect 
about  the  twenty-fourth  or  twenty-fifth  day  from 
the  time  the  egg  is  laid. 

The  queen  passes  three  days  iii  the  egg,  and  is  five 
a  worm ;  the  workers  then  close  her  cell ;  she  imme- 
diately begins  to  spin  her  cocoon,  which  occupies 
her  twenty-four  hours.  On  the  tenth  and  eleventh 
days,  and  even  sixteen  hours  of  the  twelfth,  she 
remains  in  complete  repose,  as  if  exhausted  by  her 
labors ;  she  then  passes  four  days  and  one-third  as 
a  nymph.  It  is  on  the  sixteenth  day,  therefore,  that 
the  perfect  state  of  the  queen  is  attained. 

I  am  indebted  to  Bevan  for  this  description.  My 
own  experience  corresponds  veiy  nearly  with  it,  in 
this  latitude  ;  but  a  very  considerable  difference  ex- 
ists as  to  time  between  this  and  Sacramento,  Cali- 
fornia, where  I  spent  the   last  season,  propagating 


BREEDlNa.  75 

bees.  There  the  average  time  for  queens  to  mature 
from  the  egg  is  fourteen  cla3-s,  two  days  less  thau  the 
average  here ;  and  about  the  same  difference  exists 
with  the  workers  and  drones. 

QUANTITY  OF  EGGS  LAID  BY  A  QUEEX. 

The  quantity  of  eggs  laid  by  a  fully  developed 
healthy  queen,  in  a  strong  colony,  with  plenty  of 
honey,  is  truly  astonishing  to  those  unacquainted 
with  their  habits ;  the  number  is  variousl}^  estimated 
by  authors  at  from  30,000  to  100,000  during  the 
season.  This  depends  entirely  upon  the  strength  of 
the  colony  in  the  spring,  the  climate  or  temperature 
of  the  weather,  the  quantity  of  honey,  and  the  mode 
of  managing  the  colony. 

During  the  past  season  I  worked  a  number  of 
queens  to  their  full  capacity  for  producing  eggs,  in 
strong  colonies,  by  frequently  changing  combs  from 
which  brood  had  just  emerged  in  artificial  swarms, 
where  the  queen  had  not  yet  become  fertile,  for 
combs  stocked  with  eggs  and  larva,  giving  them 
empty  combs  for  full  ones;  stimulating  them  con- 
stantly by  keeping  them  well  supplied  with  food, 
when  honey  abroad  became  scarce.  I  put  two  of 
these  combs,  being  about  twelve  inches  wide  by 
fifteen  or  sixteen  deep,  into  a  strong  colony,  where 
the  queen  was  very  prolific ;  over  two-thirds  of  the 
cells  were  empty  when  put  in,  and  within  four  or 
five  days  they  were  all  stocked  with  eggs,  except  a 
few  that  were  stored  with  pollen.  This  was  by  no 
means  a  single  occurrence,  but  was  repeated  again 


76  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

and  again,  with  about  the  same  results.  These  two 
combs  would  make  about  360  square  inches.  Mr. 
Quinby  estimates  fifty  cells  to  the  square  inch,  inclu- 
ding both  sides  of  the  comb ;  this  would  give  about 
18,000  cells  in  all ;  deduct  one-third  for  honey,  pol- 
len and  a  few  cells  unoccupied  A\ith  brood,  and  we 
still  have  12,000  cells  to  be  filled.  A  few  of  these 
around  the  edges  would  perhaps  remain  empty,  but 
at  least  10,000  eggs  were  laid  during  the  four  or  five 
days,  or  about  2,000  per  day.  This,  I  find,  is  but 
little  higher  tha)i  Mr.  Quinby's  estimate,  but  not 
greater  than  they  can  fully  attain  to,  under  favorable 
circumstances,  marvelous  as  it  may  seem. 


CHAPTER    III. 

WAX. 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  bees  gather  the  wax 
from  the  flowers  which  they  visit  daily  in  the  fields ; 
in  fact,  before  Huber's  time,  it  was  believed  that  wax 
was  made  from  bee-bread,  either  as  it  was  gathered 
from  the  flowers  in  a  crude  state,  or  in  a  prepared 
form,  after  going  through  a  digesting  process  in  the 
stomach  of  the  bee.  Iluber  demonstrated  by  experi- 
ment, that  the  wax,  of  which  all  comb  is  built,  is  a 
secretion  of  the  bee,  a  stibstance  which  a  wise  Creator 
has  provided  them  with  for  the  purpose  of  construct- 
ing proper  receptacles  to  contain  their  stores  of  pro- 
visions, and  suitable  cradles  for  rearing  their  young 
in.     Bonner  savs :    "I   believe    the    wax    to    be   an 


WAX.  77 

excrescence,  exudation  or  production  of  the  body  of 
the  bee ;  and  that  as  the  queen  bee  can  lay  egga 
when  she  pleases,  if  need  requires,  so  the  working 
bees  can  produce  wax  fi'om  the  substance  of  their 
own  bodies." 

The  truth  of  this  can  be  easily  demonstrated  by 
any  one  who  is  curious  to  examine  for  himself,  by 
putting  a  small  swarm  of  bees  into  an  observatory 
hive,  destitute  of  combs ;  confine  them  in  this,  and 
give  them  them  a  liberal  supply  of  strained  honey, 
if  you  please,  or  a  nice  syrup  made  from  refined 
sugar;  in  the  course  of  twenty-four  hours  combs  will 
be  commenced.  If  the  weather  is  warm,  and  the 
swarm  contains  a  quart  or  more  of  bees,  liberall}" 
fed,  in  two  or  three  days  time  they  will  construct 
several  square  inches  of  beautiful  white  comb ;  the 
color,  however,  is  varied  a  little  by  the  kind  of  honey 
or  syrup  on  which  the  bees  are  feed ;  if  very  dark, 
the  comb  will  be  rather  of  a  brownish  cast ;  if  white, 
or  light  colored  honey  or  syrup,  the  wax  produced 
will  be  very  white.  This  experiment  may  be  tried 
again  and  again,  by  removing  the  swarm  from  this 
hive  into  an  empty  one  ;  feed  them  only  with  syrup 
or  honey,  without  a  particle  of  bee-bread,  and  confine 
them  so  that  none  are  permitted  to  go  abroad  to  pro- 
cure it.  The  result  will  be  the  same ;  wax  will  be 
produced  and  comb  built.  Iluber  tried  this  experi- 
ment with  the  same  swarm,  b}'  removing  it  thus 
seven  times,  with  the  same  results. 

I  have  frequently  seen  the  wax  in  very  thin  flakes 
or  scales  exuding  from  the  rings  or  folds  of  the  ab- 


78  BEES    AND    BKE-KEEPINa. 

doraen  or  bell}'  of  the  worker ;  this  seems  to  be  where 
the  wax  pouch  or  laboratory  is  located ;  from  this 
the  scales  arc  taken  and  inuucdiately  put  in  the  ap- 
propriate place  in  the  comb  by  the  architect.  The 
bees  which  elaborate  or  produce  the  wax  consume  an 
increased  amount  of  food,  and  apparently  remain  in 
a  state  of  repose  for  some  hours  afterward,  before  the 
wax  is  produced.  In  this  they  somewhat  resemble 
the  silk  worm,  which,  after  consuming  a  large  quan- 
tity of  food,  remains  in  a  state  of  repose  for  a  time, 
and  then  commences  to  spin  its  web  or  cocoon.  In 
this  case  the  bee  takes  a  certain  portion  of  food  into 
its  stomach,  from  which  it  produces  wax,  and  in  the 
other,  the  silk  worm  takes  a  certain  portion  of  food 
of  a  different  kind,  from  which  it  produces  silk.  In 
neither  case  is  any  thing  added  to  the  body  or  phys- 
ical condition  of  the  insect,  either  as  muscle  or  fat, 
as  some  authors  describe  it ;  but  the  insect  seems  to 
be  simply  a  manufactory,  receiving  into  it  the  raw 
material,  and  after  passing  through  the  necessary 
process  it  comes  forth  a  perfect  article  of  wax.  It  is 
said  that  from  fifteen  to  twenty  pounds  of  food  are 
consumed  to  elaborate  one  pound  of  wax.  I  never 
experimented  to  ascertain  the  truth  or  falsity  of  this 
statement,  but  a  very  large  amount  is  consumed.  It 
requires  about  two  and  a  half  or  three  pounds  of 
wax  to  fill  an  ordinary  sized  hive  with  comb.  Bevan 
gives  the  following  analysis  of  beeswax : 

ANALYSIS    OF    WAX. 

Carbon,      ----.---     81.79 

Oxygen, 5.54 

Hydrogen, 12,07 


WAX. 


79 


Beeswax  forms  a  very  cdiisiderable  article  of  com- 
merce ill  various  parts  of  the  world.  Large  qviantities 
are  used  in  religious  ceremonies,  both  in  Pagau  and 
Christian  lands ;  especially  by  the  Chinese  in  their 
idol  worship,  as  I  am  informed  by  my  friend.  Rev, 
Mr.  Shuck,  of  Sacramento  City,  who  was  long  a 
missionary  in  China.  It  is  said  over  eighty  thousand 
pounds  are  exported  annually  from  the  island  of  Cuba 
alone. 

COMB,    OR   ARCHITECTURE    OP   BEES. 


The  combs  of  a  bee  hive  consist  of  a  cono^eries  of 


80  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPTNG. 

hexagonal  cells.  A  honeycomb  is  certainly  one  of 
the  most  profound  achievements  of  architecture ;  it 
has  been  the  admiration  of  both  sage  and  philosopher 
for  centuries  past,  and  has  awakened  speculation  not 
only  in  the  naturalist,  but  also  in  the  mathematician. 
So  regular  and  so  perfect  is  the  structure  of  the  cells, 
that  it  satisfies  every  condition  of  a  refined  problem 
in  geometry. 

Before  the  time  of  Hubcr,  we  have  no  account  of 
any  naturalist  having  seen  the  laying  of  the  founda- 
tion or  making  the  commencement  of  a  comb,  nor 
traced  the  several  steps  of  its  progress  to  completion. 
After  many  attempts,  he  at  length  succeeded  in 
attaining  the  desired  object,  preventing  the  bees  from 
forming  their  usual  impenetrable  cluster  or  curtain 
by  suspending  themselves  from  the  top  of  the  hive ; 
in  short,  he  obliged  them  to  build  upward,  and  was 
thereby  enabled,  by  means  of  a  glass  window,  to 
watch  every  variation  and  progressive  step  in  the 
formation  of  a  comb. 

Each  comb  is  composed  of  two  ranges  of  cells, 
backed  against  each  other ;  at  first  sight  they  present 
the  appearance  of  having  one  common  base,  yet  on 
careful  examination  w^e  find  that  no  cell  is  directly 
opposite  another,  but  the  base  or  partition  between 
the  double  row  of  cells  is  so  arranged  as  to  form  a 
pyramidal  cavity  at  the  bottom  of  each.  The  cells 
open  into  a  space  (or  as  Bevan  calls  it,  a  street), 
which  is  always  found  between  the  combs ;  the 
spaces  are  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  width, 
being  a  convenient  passage  for  the  bees,  and  sufiicient 


WAX.  81 

to  permit  them  to  enter  the  cells  readily ;  openings 
are  generall}^  left  through  different  parts  of  the  combs 
to  connect  these  spaces,  forming  cross  roads,  or  near 
cuts,  from  one  comb  to  another,  whereby  much  val- 
uable time  is  saved  to  the  bees  in  passing  from  one 
side  of  the  hive  to  the  other.  The  cells,  as  I  have 
already  observed,  are  six-sided,  forming  a  hexagon, 
the  very  best  shape  that  could  be  adopted  by  whicli 
all  the  space  can  be  occupied  and  no  interstices  left; 
it  is  doubtless  the  only  shape,  except  round,  that 
would  suit  to  rear  young  bees  in,  as  either  square  or 
triangular  would  be  entirely  unsuited  for  that  [)ur- 
pose.  These  three,  the  hexagon,  the  triangle  and 
the  square,  are  the  only  possible  shapes  that  would 
occupy  all  the  given  space. 

Here  we  have  both  economy  of  room  and  material ; 
there  are  no  useless  partitions  in  a  honeycomb ;  each 
of  the  six  lateral  panels  of  one  cell  forms  one  of  the 
panels  of  the  adjoining  cell,  and  of  the  three  rhombs 
which  form  the  pyramidal  base  of  a  cell,  each  con- 
tributes one  third  toward  the  formation  of  the  bases 
of  three  opposing  cells,  the  bottom  or  centre  of  every 
cell  resting  against  the  point  of  union  of  three  panels 
at  the  back  of  it. 

ECONOMY   OP    MATERIALS. 

Economy  of  materials  produces  economy  of  labor 
(says  Bevan),  and  in  addition  to  these  advantages, 
the  cells  are  constructed  in  the  strongest  manner 
possible  from  the  amount  of  materials  used.  The 
walls  of  the  sides  and    bases   of  the   cells   are   so 


82  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPINQ. 

very  thin  when  first  built  and  in  their  virgin  purit}', 
that  four  or  five  placed  on  each  other  would  not  be 
thicker  than  common  writing  paper ;  each  cell,  taken 
separately,  is  weak,  but  is  increased  in  strength  by  its 
connection  with  other  cells.  The  mouth  or  entrance 
of  each  cell  is  greatly  strengthened  and  fortified  by 
a  border  of  wax,  making  the  outer  edge  of  the  par- 
tition wall  more  than  double  strength.  This,  indeed, 
seems  quite  necessary  to  prevent  it  from  bursting  or 
being  injured  by  the  struggles  of  the  young  bee,  or 
from  the  ingress  and  egress  of  the  workers  in  their 
varied  avocations.  This  border  is  much  thicker  at 
the  angles  than  elsewhere,  which  prevents  the  mouth 
of  the  cell  from  being  regularly  hexagonal,  though 
the  interior  is  perfectly  so. 

Several  combs  are  generally  commenced  and  pro- 
gressing at  the  same  time.  First,  one  is  founded  and 
progresses  until  it  is  two  or  three  cells  deep,  then 
another  and  still  another  is  commenced  on  each  side 
of  the  first,  at  the  space  of  about  one  and  a  half 
inches  from  centre  to  centre,  for  worker  cells;  it  is  a 
little  more  for  a  drone  cell,  as  the  comb  is  thicker. 
These  combs  are  generally  parallel  with  each  other; 
occasionally,  however,  they  run  in  different  directions. 

I  would  remark,  in  this  connection,  that  to  secure 
the  building  of  straight  and  regular  combs  in  mova- 
ble frames,  it  is  absolutely  necessarj'  to  so  adjust  them 
as  to  have  the  exact  spaces  from  centre  to  centre  of 
the  comb  guides;  the  least  deviation  from  this  is 
almost  certain  to  cause  the  bees  to  run  the  combs 
across  from  frame  to  frame,  thus  enabling  them  to 


secure  their  desired  spaces,  but  so  thoroughly  con- 
tiecting  them  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  remove 
any  one  frame,  which  entirely  defeats  the  object  of 
the  frame,  and  renders  it  useless.  This  has  caused 
more  objections  to  their  use  than  all  other  reasons 
combined,  but  may  easily  be  remedied j  by  so  adjust- 
ing the  frames  as  to  give  the  exact  space  which  they 
require  ;  and  it  is  necessary  to  do  this  by  measure- 
ment, and  not  by  guess  work,  as  has  usually  been  done. 

The  first  comb  begun  is  always  kept  in  advance  of 
the  others,  and  is  the  first  completed  ;  the  one  on 
each  side  finished  next,  and  so  on,  giving  the  mass 
or  bunch  of  comb  an  oval  or  oblong  appearance  (be- 
fore any  has  reached  the  bottom),  very  much  the 
shape  of  a  swarm  when  clustered  in  a  bunch. 

The  cells  for  drones  are  larger  and  more  substan- 
tial than  those  for  worker  bees,  constituting  two  sizes 
of  comb  in  each  hive.  "  The  drone  cells,"  says  Be- 
van,  "are  three  and  one-third  lines  in  diameter,  and 
those  of  the  worker  cells  two  and  three-fifth  lines, 
(the  line  is  the  twelfth  part  of  an  inch);  these,  says 
Reaumur,  are  the  invariable  diameters  of  all  the  cells 
that  ever  were  or  ever  will  be  made."  From  this 
uniform,  unvarying  diameter  of  the  brood  cells  when 
completed,  their  use  has  been  suggested  as  a  univer- 
sal standard  of  measurement,  which  would  be  un- 
derstood in  all  countries  to  the  end  of  time.  There 
are  particular  circumstances,  however,  which  induce 
a  departure  from  this  exactness ;  for  instance,  when 
bees  have  begun  a  comb  with  worker  cells,  and  after- 
ward wish  to  change  it  to  drone  cells,  as  they  occa- 


84  SUES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

sionally  do.  This  is  done  b}'  interposing  from  one 
to  three  courses  of  cells,  which  may  very  appropri- 
ately be  called  transition  cells,  the  bottoms  of  which 
are  composed  of  two  rhombs  and  two  hexagons,  in- 
stead of  three  rhombs ;  the  rhombs  and  hexagons 
gradually  varying  in  form  and  relative  proportion, 
till  the  requisite  size,  namely,  that  of  the  cells  which 
they  are  approaching,  has  been  attained^  The  same 
rule  is  observed  when  returning  to  small  cells ;  every 
apparent  regularity  is  therefore  determined  by  a 
suflicient  motive,  and  forms  no  impeachment  of  the 
sagacity  of  the  bee.  These  deviations  from  the  usual 
regularity  which  is  observed,  should  serve  to  increase 
our  admiration  of  the  architectural  powers  possessed 
by  the  bee. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  season,  when  honey 
is  very  abundant,  and  indeed  earlier  in  the  season, 
in  time  of  white  clover,  when  there  are  surplus  honey 
boxes  placed  on  top  of  the  hive,  or  when  there 
is  room  yet  unoccupied  inside  of  the  hive,  par- 
ticularly next  the  sides,  they  build  what  is  called 
store  combs,  in  which  honey  alone  is  stored;  and 
when  honey  is  abundant  and  the  weather  warm, 
these  cells  are  built  to  a  great  length,  making  the 
combs  very  thick  and  irregular.  Still,  however,  their 
diameter,  with  the  exception  of  transition  cells,  is 
uniformly  that  of  drone  or  worker  cells ;  but  the 
texture  of  their  walls  is  thinner,  and  they  have 
more  dip  or  upward  inclination,  which,  doubtless,  is 
for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  honey  from  run- 
ning out.  which  it  is  likely  to  do  when  it  is  being 


WAX.  85 

gathered  and  stored  very  rapidly ;  no  time  elapsing 
for  the  water  to  evaporate,  the  honey  is  consequently 
thin.  When  the  cells  are  filled  and  the  water  has 
had  time  to  evaporate,  leaving  the  honey  of  a  proper 
consistency,  they  are  capped  over  with  waxen  lids, 
which  are  formed  by  first  constructing  a  ring  of  wax 
within  the  verge  of  the  cell,  to  which  another  and 
another  ring  is  added,  until  the  aperture  is  finally 
closed  with  a  lid  composed  of  concentric  circles. 
This  operation  may  very  easily  and  readily  be  ob- 
served in  all  its  stages,  from  the  time  they  commence 
until  the  cell  is  closed.  Caps  of  honey  cells  are  con- 
cave, whilst  young  brood  cells,  when  capped,  are 
convex, 

I  cannot  leave  this  part  of  my  subject  without 
again  professing  ray  profound  admiration  for  the 
achitectural  instincts  of  the  honey  bee;  and  am  una- 
ble better  to  express  it,  than  by  quoting  Mr.  Quinby's 
remarks  upon  this  point.  He  sajs :  "  The  exact  and 
uniform  size  of  their  cells  is  perhaps  as  great  a  mys- 
tery as  an}' thing  pertaining  to  them;  yet,  we  find 
the  second  wonder  before  we  are  done  with  the  first. 
In  comb  building,  they  have  no  square  or  compass 
as  a  guide;  no  master  mechanic  takes  the  lead, 
measuring  and  marking  for  the  workmen ;  each  in- 
dividual among  them  is  a  finished  mechanic !  No 
time  is  lost  as  an  apprentice,  no  service  given  in  re- 
turn for  instruction !  Each  is  accomplished  from 
birth!  All  are  alike;  what  one  begins,  a  dozen  may 
help  to  finish !  A  specimen  of  their  work  shows  itself 
to  be  from  the  hands  of  master  workmeuj  and  may  be 
8 


86  Bees   and   fiEE-KfiEPtNG. 

takeu  as  a  model  of  perfection !  He  who  arranged 
the  universe,  was  their  instructor.  Yes,  a  profound 
geometrician  planned  the  first  cell,  and  knowing 
what  Would  be  their  wants,  implanted  in  the  senso- 
rium  of  the  first  bee  all  things  pertaining  to  their 
welfare ;  the  impress  then  given,  is  yet  retained  un- 
impaired !" 

How  little  does  the  epicure  heed,  when  feasting 
on  the  fruits  of  their  industry,  that  each  morsel  tasted 
must  destroy  the  most  perfect  specimens  of  work- 
manship ;  that  in  a  moment  he  can  demolish  what 
it  has  taken  hours,  yea,  days  and  perhaps  weeks  of 
assiduous  toil  for  the  bees  to  accomplish. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

POLLEN,    OR    BEE-BREAD. 

Pollen,  in  common  parlance,  has  been  very  gen- 
erally called  bee-bread;  this  is  what  almost  every 
person  who  has  seen  bees  w^orking  on  a  fine  day,  in 
summer,  has  observed  them  carrying  into  the  hive,  in 
the  shape  of  little  pellets,  on  the  hindmost  pair  of  legs. 
These  yellow  pellets  have  been,  and  are  yet,  looked 
upon  as  being  wax,  to  build  combs  with.  Very  few 
careless  observers,  perhaps,  ever  noticed  that  just  as 
many  of  these  little  loads  are  carried  into  a  hive  that  is 
already  full  of  combs  as  into  one  in  which  a  swarm  has 
been  recently  put,  and  in  which  combs  are  being  rap- 
idly built.    If  these  pellets  were  examined,  and  their 


POLLEN.  87 

texture  compared  with  wax,  it  would  suffice  to  con- 
vince the  most  skeptical  that  not  even  a  trace  of 
similarity  exists  between  the  two. 

Pollen,  or  farina,  in  the  language  of  botanists,  are 
terms  applied  to  the  powdery  particles  discharged  by 
the  anthers  of  flowers.  The  color,  as  well  as  the 
structure  of  pollen,  varies  in  different  plants.  Its  use 
in  fecundating  the  germs  of  flowers  is  well  known, 
and  is  pretty  well  understood  by  naturalists  and  bot- 
anists. The  honey  bee  renders  very  essential  aid  in 
accomplishing  this  purpose,  by  passing  from  flower 
to  flower,  never  visiting  any  but  one  variety  of 
flowers  at  a  time,  thus  disseminating  this  fructifying 
substance  amongst  the  flowers  in  a  manner  scarcely 
possible  to  be  attained  in  any  other  way. 

Huber  was  probably  the  first  to  demonstrate  that 
the  principal  purpose  for  which  bees  collect  pollen,  is 
to  feed  and  nourish  the  embryo  bees ;  which  accords 
well  with  what  we  find  in  the  animal  kingdom,  where 
the  food  of  the  young  is  quite  different  from  that 
consumed  by  adults.  Dr.  Hunter  made  a  careful 
dissection  and  examination  of  the  stomachs  of  young 
bees  when  in  a  maggot  state,  and  found  farina,  or 
pollen,  in  all,  but  not  a  particle  of  honey  in  any  of 
them.  Huber  believes  the  pollen  undergoes  a  pecu- 
liar elaboration  in  the  stomachs  of  the  nursing  bees, 
to  prepare  it  properly  for  the  nourishment  of  the 
larva. 

Huber  shut  up  a  swarm  of  bees  with  some  young 
brood,  but  without  any  pollen  at  all,  supplying  them 
liberally  with  honey ;  they  very  soon  manifested  un- 


88  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

easiness  and  rage  at  their  imprisonment.  Fearing 
the  consequence  of  this  tumult  being  prolonged,  he 
allowed  them  to  fly  out  in  the  evening,  when  too 
late  to  collect  any  pollen.  At  the  end  of  five  days 
from  the  time  the  experiment  was  first  instituted, 
the  hive  was  examined,  when  it  was  found  that  the 
larva  or  young  .bees  had  all  perished;  the  jell}'^  or 
food  which  had  surrounded  them  on  the  first  intro- 
duction to  the  hive,  was  all  removed  or  consumed. 
The  same  bees  were  then  supplied  with  fresh  brood, 
together  with  some  comb  containing  pollen ;  very 
diiferent,  indeed,  was  their  behavior  with  this  outfit ; 
the}'-  eagerly  seized  the  pollen  and  conveyed  it  to  the 
young,  order  was  restored  in  the  colony,  and  pros- 
perity and  happiness  again  reigned. 

I  have  tried  experiments  very  similar  to  those  just 
related  (with  results  that  accord  exactly  with  Huber's), 
until  pretty  well  satisfied,  indeed  I  am  quite  certain, 
that  mature  bees  can  live  and  elaborate  wax  without 
any  pollen ;  and  I  feel  equally  certain  that  not  a 
single  young  bee  can  be  raised  from  the  egg  with- 
out it. 

The  little  balls  or  pellets  are  invariably  of  the  same 
color  of  the  anthers  dust  of  the  flower  from  which 
they  are  gathered,  yellow,  pale  green,  or  orange, 
being  the  most  prevalent.  In  California  there  are 
flowers  as  blue  as  indigo,  from  which  it  is  gathered ; 
in  fact,  the  greatest  assortment  of  colors  conceivable 
may  there  be  seen,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  yenr,  in 
a  sheet  of  comb  that  is  well  stored  with  pollen.  It 
is  a  little  curious,  and  yet  a  feet,  that  bees  will  cease 


POLLEN.  89 

to  gather  pollen  when  the  honey  fails;  for  instance, 
toward  noon  the  honey  is  mostly  all  gathered  or 
evaporated  for  that  day,  and  but  little  more  can  be 
procured;  after  that  time  they  will  also  cease  to 
gather  pollen,  although  it  might  be  obtained  in  great 
quantities.  When  this  occurs,  put  out  plenty  of  honey 
or  feed,  (if  they  know  the  w^ay,  having  been  fed) ; 
in  less  than  an  hour's  time  they  will  be  vigorously 
carrying  in  pollen,  as  well  as  the  honey  or  feed.  I 
tried  this  very  frequently  in  California,  where  we 
fed  promiscuously  and  largely.  In  the  afternoon 
when  the  honey  would  get  scarce,  I  put  out  a  few 
gallons  of  syrup,  when  the  effect  was  truly  aston- 
ishing; all  were  on  the  qui  vive  in  a  few^  minutes, 
carrying  in  pollen  as  well  as  the  feed,  and  ranging 
the  fields,  examiniug  carefully  every  flower,  to  see  if 
any  honey  had  previously  escaped  their  observation. 

Langstroth  says  that  rye  flour,  if  fed  in  the  spring 
of  the  year,  will  serve  as  a  substitute  for  pollen.  I 
have  not  tested  this  sufficiently  to  say  whether  it  will 
or  will  not  be  of  any  practical  advantage  ;  at.  present, 
I  attach  but  little  value  to  it.  It  may  be  of  some  im- 
portance in  localities  where  fiowers  producing  pollen 
are  rare,  or  for  late  swarms,  that  come  off"  after 
pollen  gets  scarce,  and  whose  supplies  are  conse- 
quently limited ;  but  all  strong,  vigorous  stocks,  in 
any  localitj^  that  I  am  conversant  with,  will  lay  in  a 
supply  of  pollen  just  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of 
honey  gathered. 

To  feed  bees  liberally  with  honey  or  syrup  during  a 
scarcity  of  honey,  and  to  pursue  this  course  through- 


90  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPTNG. 

out  the  entire  season,  if  in  movable  frames,  take 
out  and  store  away  some  of  the  combs  when  there 
are  no  young  bees  in  them,  and  I  believe  the  quan- 
tity of  pollen  can  be  vastly  increased,  perhaps  doubled. 
The  quantity  of  flowers  that  yield  pollen  is  much 
greater  than  those  producing  honey,  and  all  flowers 
that  produce  honey  yield  more  or  less  pollen;  but 
there  are  many  that  produce  pollen,  but  no  honey. 

now   POLLEN    IS    STORED. 

When  the  bee  arrives  in  the  hive  with  her  freight 
of  pollen,  she  seeks  a  suitable  cell ;  she  then  fixes 
her  two  middle  and  two  hind  legs,  which  she  thrusts 
into  the  mouth  of  the  cell ;  she  now  curves  her  body 
downward  and  seizes  the  little  pellets  with  her  two 
forelegs,  presses  or  rubs  them  off  into  the  mouth  of 
the  cell,  and  pushes  them  inward  a  little.  When  she 
is  thus  freed  from  her  load,  she  is  ready  again  to  de- 
part for  another,  leaving  the  one  just  deposited  ap- 
parently to  the  care  of  other  bees.  Presently  a  bee 
comes  along,  it  peeps  into  the  cell  and  then  proceeds 
to  pack  the  pollen  away,  which  it  does  apparently 
with  its  head,  by  first  pushing  it  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cell ;  and  moistening  it  a  little  with  honey  or  water, 
presses  it  firmly  to  its  proper  place  In  this  way 
they  fill  the  cells  about  two-thirds  their  capacity, 
frequently  filling  it  out  with  honey,  and  sometimes 
seal  it  over.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  bees  store 
pollen  in  worker  cells  only;  none  is  ever  found  in 
drone  cells.  This  discovery  my  fi-iend,  Mr.  Quin- 
by,  claims  to  have  made.     He  says:  "Here  is  one 


HONEY.    '  91 

circumstance  I  do  uot  remember  to  have  seen 
mentioned,  and  that  ia,  bee-bread  is  generally  packed 
exclusively  in  worker  cells ;  I  would  say  always,  but 
I  find  my  bees  doing  things  so  differently  from  some 
others." 

But  I  find  an  older  claim  made  to  this  discovery 
by  Bevan,  who  says  (page  126) :  "  The  bees  store 
pollen  in  worker  cells  only.  I  am  not  aware  of  this 
fact  ever  having  been  publicly  stated  before ;  I  am 
indebted  for  a  knowledge  of  it  to  the  attentive  obser- 
vation of  Mr.  Humphrey.  This  discrimination  of 
the  bee  may  arise  from  an  instinctive  knowledge  that 
pollen  may  be  best  preserved  when  stored  in  small 
quantities."  This  peculiarity  has  been  observed  by 
many  apiarians  ;  I  noticed  it  before  reading  either  *Nf 
the  above  works. 


CHAPTER   V. 

HONEY. 

Honey  is  a  well  known  production  of  flowers,  gen- 
erated in  the  great  laboratory  of  nature.  A  sweet 
that  has  been  renowned  from  the  earliest  period  of 
history,  it  has  been  used  as  a  figure  emblematic  of  a 
fertile  and  fruitful  land,  "a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey."    What  a  beautiful  figure  !  how  appropriate  ! 

Pollen,  or  bee-bread,  is  used  only  by  the  bee,  but 
is  of  no  value  to  the  bee-keeper  for  any  other  pur- 
pose; whilst  honey  is  desirable  food  for  both  man 
and  bee,  a  great  luxury  to  the  former  and  an  indis- 
pensable article  to  the  latter. 


92  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPINU. 

Honey,  says  Bevan,  is  the  nectaries  of  flowers, 
which  in  fine  weather  is  continually  forming  or 
secreting  from  certain  vesicles  or  glands,  situated 
near  the  base  of  every  petal,  from  whence  it  is  collect- 
ed by  the  busy  buzzing  honey  bee.  They  consume 
a  portion  whilst  gathering  it,  as  indeed  they  are  con- 
tinually doing;  but  the  greater  part  gathered  during 
the  honey  harvest  is  carried  home  in  their  honey  sacs, 
and  regurgitated  or  emptied  into  the  cells,  for  the 
use  of  the  community  during  a  scarcity  of  honey 
in  summer  and  for  their  winter  stores ;  and  so  abun- 
dant are  these  collections  of  honey  in  favorable  sea- 
sons, as  to  afford  to  the  careful  apiarian  a  very  liberal 
profit,  sufficient  to  compensate  him  for  his  invest- 
ment. The  amount,  however,  is  varied  very  much 
by  different  localities  and  the  mode  of  management. 
In  some  situations  twice  the  amount  of  honey  is  pro- 
duced during  the  season  that  there  is  in  others ;  in 
such  places  there  is  a  fair  succession  of  honey-pro- 
ducing flowers  from  early  spring  till  late  in  the  fall, 
which  induces  and  enables  bees  to  increase  in  swarms 
and  store  more  surplus  honey,  nothing  occurring  to 
discourage  them  to  go  forward  breeding  rapidly  and 
constantly  accumulating  honey.  In  such  localities 
bees  will  live  and  thrive  much  better,  with  but  indif- 
ferent or  careless  attention,  than  they  would  where 
honey  is  more  precarious,  or  where  it  is  not  so  evenly 
distributed  through  the  season.  In  others  there  is  a 
short  season  of  honey  early  in  the  spring,  from  fruit 
trees,  maple  trees,  &c. ;  this  lasts  but  a  short  time; 
then  an  interval  occurs  of  from  two  to  four  weeks, 


HONEY.  93 

until  the  clover  blooms,  duriDg  which  time  little  or 
no  honey  is  obtained,  either  to  store  or  for  the  cur- 
rent use  of  the  colony ;  and  another  interval  occurs 
between  the  clover  and  buckwheat.  Unless  bees  are 
fed  during  these  intervals,  as  is  directed  on  another 
page,  the  colon}^  will  not  be  in  a  fit  condition  to  store 
large  quantities  of  honey  when  it  becomes  plenty, 
and  consequently  the  amount  of  surplus  honey  ob- 
tained is  generally  much  less  than  it  might  otherwise 
be.  This  will  be  more  fully  discussed  in  another 
place. 

DIFFERENT   QUALITIES    OF   HONEY. 

Honey  is  varied  by  the  different  kinds  of  flowers 
from  which  it  is  gathered,  each  having  some  property 
peculiar  to  itself.  That  gathered  from  the  white 
clover,  in  this  region,  is  much  the  whitest  and  most 
beautiful,  sometimes  almost  rivaling  the  driven  snow; 
at  other  times  it  is  not  so  fair,  much  depending  upon 
the  season.  Its  flavor  is  excellent,  and  it  is  a  general 
favorite  in  the  market.  The  season  for  clover  honey 
is  from  about  the  fifth  of  June  until  about  the  middle 
of  July,  varied  by*  the  season  and  latitude.  The 
yield  from  clover  is  usually  pretty  large  where  it 
abounds. 

Buckwheat  is  largely  cultivated  as  a  field  crop  in 
many  places  ;  it  yields  a  very  large  quantity  of  honey, 
and  is  the  second  in  importance  as  a  honey  harvest. 
In  most,  if  not  all  the  Middle  States,  buckwheat 
honey  is  of  a  rich  coppery  color,  having  a  reddish 
cast,  and  generally  thick  and  fine,  possessing  a  pecu- 
liarity of  taste  and  smell  not  to  be  found  elsewhere, 


94  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

that  renders  it  an  especial  favorite  with  many  epi- 
cures ;  but  will  not  sell  quite  so  readily  in  market  as 
the  clover  honey,  to  those  unacquainted  with  it, 
owing  to  its  color. 

Large  quantities  of  honey  are  also  gathered  from 
the  tuHp  or  poplar,  where  it  abounds.  This  is  a  very 
white  and  good  honey.  The  linden,  or  bass-wood, 
is  also  very  productive  in  honey,  which  is  of  a  light 
yellow,  inclining  to  straw  color.  Many  other  kinds 
of  flowers  produce  honey,  but  not  generally  in  such 
quantities  as  to  enter  largely  into  market  in  this 
region. 

In  California,  we  find  the  cephalanthus,  or  button 
bush,  yields  the  largest  quantity  and  finest  quality 
of  honey  (particularly  in  the  Sacramento  and  Tulare 
Valleys),  which  is  very  excellent,  thick  and  of  the 
finest  flavor;  in  color  it  is  very  slightly  reddish,  or 
between  that  and  straw  color.  This  variety  of 
honey  commands  the  highest  price  in  the  California 
markets.  Honey  gathered  from  the  common  black 
mustard  is  the  next  in  importanc(i,  botli  in  quantity 
and  quality.  In  some  parts  of  Ciilifornia,  this  is  the 
main  dependence  for  market  honey.  This  is  true  of 
the  San  Jose  and  some  other  valleys,  where  the 
cephalanthus  is  scarce.  Honey  gatliered  from  mus- 
tard is  of  a  light  color,  between  white  and  straw 
color;  its  flavor  is  not  so  agreeable  as  some  other 
varieties,  being  slightly  pungent,  yet  it  is  a  very  fair 
marketable  article,  of  rather  light  texture. 

It  is  said  that  honey  gathered  from  poisonous 
plants  or  trees,  which  abound  in  some  places,  has  a 


Honey.  95 

deleterious  effect  when  eaten,  causing  sickness;  but 
these  kinds  of  flowers  are  very  rare. 

PROPOLIS,    OR    BEE-GLUE. 

Besides  the  honey  and  pollen  which  are  gathered 
by  beeSj  they  also  collect  a  resinous  substance  that  is 
very  tenacious  and  serai-trans]3arent,  giving  out  a 
balsamic  odor,  somewhat  resembling  that  of  storax; 
It  is  of  a  reddish  brown  color,  and  when  broken  its 
color  resembles  wax.  Dissolved  in  spirits  of  wine  ot 
oil  of  turpentine,  it  imparts  as  varnish  a  golden  color' 
to  silver,  tin  and  other  bright  metals.  Being  sup- 
posed to  possess  medicinal  properties,  it  was  formerly 
kept  in  the  shop  of  the  apothecary.  It  consists  of 
one  part  of  wax  and  four  of  pure  resin. — -[Bevaii^) 

Propolis  is  used  to  stop  crevices  that  may  exist  in 
and  about  the  hives,  fasten  them  to  the  floors,  to 
make  the  honey  boxes  secure,  and  also  to  fasten  the 
frames ;  it  is  sometimes  used  as  side  attachments  to 
strengthen  the  comb  fastenings,  to  cover  any  uneven 
or  objectionable  places  iti  the  hive,  or  hide  any  insect 
that  may  chance  to  find  a  lodgment  in  the  hive, 
which  the  bees  are  Unable  to  remove. 

Propolis  is  gathered  from  resinous  buds  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  and  from  some  species  of  weeds.  I  have  seen 
the  bees  working  on  the  balm  of  Gilead  trees.  But 
a  few  could  be  observed  at  one  time,  and  the  trees 
were  too  high  to  see  exactly  what  they  were  doing ; 
but  no  doubt  they  were  gathering  propolis  from  the 
buds,  as  they  seemed  to  be  the  only  points  visited ; 
nothing  else  existed  on  or  about  the  trees  at  the  time. 


96  BEES   AND  Bfifi-KEEMNG. 

from  which  anything  could  be  gathered.  Whilst  in 
California,  last  summer,  I  discovered  the  bees  work- 
ing on  a  species  of  wild  wormwood,  which  grows 
very  abundant  along  the  Sacramento  river,  attaining 
the  height  of  five  or  six  feet.  About  the  foot  stalks 
of  the  young  leaves,  and  even  on  the  expanding 
leaves  and  near  the  joints  of  the  stem  or  stalk,  there 
is  a  covering  of  an  adhesive  quality,  very  much  re- 
sembling the  propolis  found  about  hives  elsewhere, 
but  of  a  very  crudCj  rough  appearance,  and  just  as 
bitter  as  the  wormwood  itself — in  fact,  it  seems  to  be 
the  very  essence  of  it;  this  substance  I  have  seen  the 
bees  gathering.  It  is  used  very  abundantly  in  and 
about  the  hive  during  summer,  and  is  about  the  only 
kind  of  propolis  that  I  observed  the  bees  using  in  our 
apiary.  It  retains  its  green  color  just  as  when  first 
gathered,  that  of  a  year  old  was  not  changed  in  this 
particular ;  it  also  retained  the  peculiar  smell  of  the 
wormwood,  and  its  bitter  taste ;  there  is  no  mistak- 
ing its  origin. 

From  these  and  other  observations  I  have  made,  I 
conclude  that  propolis  is  a  vegetable  substance,  col- 
lected but  not  generated  by  the  bees ;  and  that  it 
partakes  very  much  of  the  nature  of  the  tree,  shrub 
or  weed  from  which  it  is  gathered.  I  have  failed  to 
discover  a  trace  of  beeswax  in  it,  as  Bevan  and  some 
others  intimate.  I  apprehend  they  have  been  misled 
by  particles  of  wax  or  combs  being  covered  or  sur- 
rounded by  propolis,  and  consequently  in  analyzing 
it,  it  was  supposed  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  original 
composition. 


HONEY.  97 

I  have  failed  to  discover  our  bees  attaching  their 
corabs  to  the  top  and  sides  of  the  hives,  as  others 
have  described ;  ours  have  stuck  the  wax  of  which 
the  combs  were  built  directly  on  the  top  and  sides. 
I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying,  that  combs  are  invariably 
stuck  to  the  top  and  sides  with  wax,  and  not  propolis ; 
and  as  a  general  thing,  if  combs  get  broken  a  little, 
they  are  again  united  with  wax.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, I  have  seen  propolis  used  at  the  sides  or  top 
when  the  comb  would  be  loosened  a  little,  and  even 
when  no  sign  of  this  existed.  I  have  also  seen  the 
fastenings  strengthened  by  layers  of  pollen,  laid  on 
nicely  where  the  comb  and  top  or  side  of  the  hive 
met,  seemingly  as  a  precaution  to  prevent  the  weight 
of  the  comb  or  dampness  of  the  wood  from  breaking 
it  loose. 

Propolis  gathered  from  some  sources  becomes 
hard,  and  has  something  of  the  appearance  of  a  wax 
made  by  adding  a  little  tallow  to  rosin  (of  commerce), 
say  one  eighth  part;  this  composition  when  warm, 
say  blood  heat,  becomes  pliable  like  shoemaker's 
wax,  but  when  cold  is  brittle,  and  will  break  and  fly 
like  rosin  itself.  In  fact,  propolis  is  so  diversified  in 
quality  and  texture,  that  it  requires  a  considerable 
stretch  of  the  imagination  to  suppose  it  to  bo  a  pro- 
duction of  the  bee,  in  the  same  sense  that  the  wax  is 
produced.  Quinby  seems  to  hold  the  opinion  of  its 
being  a  vegetable  production.  Several  old  writers 
suppose  the  bees  use  a  portion  of  propolis  diluted, 
forming  a  kind  of  varnish  or  sizing,  and  with  this 
they  varnish  the  cells  of  the  combs.  Langstroth  fol- 
9 


98 


BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 


lows  suit  (supposing,  doubtless,  that  they  are  cor- 
rect), and  indorses  the  statement;  but  I  find  him  led 
astray  so  often  by  the  assertions  of  others,  that  I  dis- 
trust his  statements,  without  testing  them  for  myself. 
My  views  and  experience  in  this  matter,  are  ex- 
actly parallel  with  Mr.  Quinby's;  he  says:  "I  have 
made  examinations  when  comb  was  first  made,  when 
it  contained  eggs,  and  when  it  contained  larva,  and 
have  never  been  able  to  find  anything  other  than 
pure  wax  composing  it.  After  a  young  bee  has  ma- 
tured in  a  cell,  the  coating  or  cocoon  that  it  leaves, 
somewhat  resembles  it,  and  may  have  given  rise  to 
the  supposition." 


CHAPTER    VI 


THE   APIARY. 


The  most  important  consider- 
j^  ation  in  selecting  a  site  for  a 
J  large  apiary,  is  to  secure  a  place 
where  the  surrounding  neighbor- 
hood yields  a  bountiful  supply  of 
honey  through  the  greater  part 
of  the  season ;  all  other  things 
arc  of  minor  importance,  especially  where  it  is  in- 
tended to  keep  large  quantities.  A  few  hives  may 
be  kept  to  advantage  any  place  where  the  habitation 
of  man  can  be  found.  A  vast  diflference  exists  in 
the  quantity  of  honey  produced  in  different  locali- 
ties; bees  may  be  starving  in  one  place,  whilst  a  few 
miles  o&  there  is  great  abundance. 


THE    APIARY,  99 

lu  locating  aii  apiarj,  it  is  important  to  select  a  situ- 
ation near  the  dwelling  or  place  of  business,  that  the 
bees  may  be  easily  seen,  and  with  but  little  trouble,  or 
the  swarms  be  heard  when  they  rise,  else  they  are 
liable  to  be  neglected,  and  permitted  to  fly  off  to  the 
woods,  if  allowed  to  swarm  in  the  natural  way.  It 
is  very  important  that  they  be  well  sheltered  from 
winds  and  storms,  which  are  a  serious  disadvantage 
in  the  spring  and  summer,  as  well  as  in  winter. 
When  returning  home  heavy  laden,  and  the  air  is 
cold  and  chilly,  the  bees  frequently  drop  down  near 
their  hives,  unable  to  reach  it  unless  sheltered  from 
the  wind.  When  no  natural  break-wind  exists,  I 
would  advise  the  construction  of  a  high,  broad  fence, 
made  tight  and  close,  so  as  to  effectually  screen  them 
from  high  winds ;  it  will  repay  the  cost  of  construc- 
tion, in  the  economizing  of  animal  heat  in  winter,  and 
in  the  number  of  bees  saved  in  spring  and  summer. 
The  greatest  and  most  serious  loss,  however,  is  iu 
the  spring  time,  when  cool  winds  and  dark  clouds 
rapidly  succeed  warm  sunny  mornings;  the  return- 
ing bees  get  chilled,  and  drop  down  in  great  num- 
bers, when  they  make  a  descent  to  their  hives,  but 
if  protected  from  winds,  the  majority  will  be  able  to 
reach  home  in  safety.  At  this  season,  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  every  bee  should  be  saved,  as 
one  in  the  spring  is  worth  ten  in  midsummer. 

If  the  apiary  is  properly  protected  from  driving 
winds,  the  hive  may  be  set  to  face  any  desired  direc- 
tion, though  I  would  prefer  them  fronting  the  south, 
varied  to  the  east  or  west,  as  would  best  suit  the 


100  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

locality ;  it  should  be  at  some  distance  from  ponds 
or  lakes,  or  large  streams  of  water,  as  heavy  chilling 
Avinds  fatigue  the  bees  on  their  return  from  the  fields, 
and  if  they  once  alight  on  the  water  they  will  never 
rise  again,  whilst  if  they  should  settle  on  any  other 
substance  they  still  have  an  opportunity  to  reach 
home.  If  the  water  is  a  few  rods  distant,  this  diffi- 
culty will  be  obviated  to  some  extent. 

li'  a  new  position  should  be  selected  near  the  old 
one,  and  it  is  decided  to  remove  the  bees  thereto,  it 
should  be  done  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible,  be- 
fore they  have  marked  their  location,  and  got  their 
course  well  established;  otherwise  many  will  return 
to  the  old  stand  and  be  lost. 

NO   DANGER   IF    BEES    ARE    MOVED    A   DISTANCE   OF   A    MILE, 

If  bees  are  moved  to  the  distance  of  a  mile  or 
more,  it  can  be  done  safely  at  any  time  most  con- 
venient. I  prefer  moving  bees  in  the  spring,  soon 
after  they  have  begun  to  work,  and  before  they  be- 
come very  strong;  at  this  time  they  have  but  little 
honey,  and  the  combs  are  less  liable  to  break  down. 
Bees  should  never  be  moved  but  a  few  rods,  or  even 
a  few  feet,  after  they  have  marked  their  location  in 
the  spring.  When  they  first  go  forth,  or  when  they 
have  been  removed  from  a  distance  and  set  down  in 
a  new  place,  they  will  fly  out,  but  instead  of  going 
directly  away  from  the  hive  they  will  keep  their 
heads  toward  it,  until  they  rise  above,  and  first  de- 
scribe small  and  then  larger  circles,  until  every  ob- 
ject near  at  hand  is  noted;  after  this  they  pass  out 


THE    APIARY.  101 

in  straight  lines ;  hence,  if  they  are  moved  but  a 
short  distance,  they  pass  out  witliout  any  precau- 
tion, and  the  surrounding  objects  being  familiar,  they 
almost  invariably  return  to  the  old  stand.  If  they 
find  their  hive  gone,  they  will  fly  about  in  a  disconso- 
late manner,  until  they  perish,  unless  attracted  by  the 
sound  of  some  other  stock  of  bees  close  at  hand. 

KIND    OF   STANDS. 

I  have  used  several  kinds  of  stands,  at  different 
times,  and  at  various  heights  from  the  ground.  In 
California  I  used  stands  made  as  follows:  procure  a 
board  twenty  inches  long  and  from  sixteen  to  eight- 
een inches  wide;  get  four  pieces  of  scantling,  one 
foot  long  and  two  inches  square ;  cut  two  pieces  in 
lengths  to  correspond  with  the  width  of  the  board, 
two  inches  wide,  one  inch  thick ;  nail  each  of  these 
strips  on  two  of  the  pieces  of  scantling  intended  for 
the  feet  of  the  stool,  so  that  the  edge  or  side  of  the 
strip  is  flush  with  the  top,  the  board  resting  on  it 
and  at  the  same  time  on  the  tops  of  the  scantling ; 
nail  it  firmly.  The  end  of  the  board  should  be  flush 
with  the  side  of  this  cross  strip,  which  brings  a  leg 
directly  under  each  corner  of  the  board,  and  makes 
a  very  nice  stool.  The  ground  should  be  made  level, 
so  that  the  hives  will  stand  plumb.  This  kind  of 
stool  will  do  very  well  here ;  the  only  objection  would 
be  where  bees  are  wintered  in  them,  the  frost  would 
heave  them  up ;  and  when  a  thaw  occurs,  the  stool 
will  settle  down  farther  on  one  side  than  on  the 
other,  which  might  cause  the  hive  to  tip  over ;  this 
9* 


102  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

may  be  obviated,  l)y  putting  straw  around  and  in 
front  of  them,  to  prevent  the  ground  from  thawing 
on  the  front  or  south  side  oi^  the  row.  It  also  serves 
a  good  purpose  for  the  bees  to  alight  on  when  they 
first  fly  out  in  the  spring,  \\hen  tlie  air  is  cool  and 
chilly.  The  snow  melts  otf  the  straw  the  first  few 
hours  that  are  warm,  and  it  is  the  warmest  substance 
for  the  weak  and  feeble  bees  to  alight  on  and  re- 
cover themselves. 

AXOTHKR  MKTHOD. 

Set  posts  of  some  durable  kind  of  wood  into  the 
ground,  or  in  stone,  so  that  the  frost  will  not  heave 
them  up ;  let  them  project  a  few  inches  above  the 
ground ;  on  these  lay  scantling  or  small  timbers  of 
any  convenient  size.  There  should  be  two  lines  of 
scantling  parallel  to  each  other,  and  about  fourteen 
inches  from  centre  to  centre.  Cut  bottom  boards 
twenty  inches  long  and  fifteen  inches  or  upward  wide, 
nail  them  slightly  across  and  on  top  of  these  timbers, 
observing  the  proper  spaces  between  the  hives.  This 
stand  may  be  made  higher  or  lower,  at  the  option  of 
the  apiarian,  and  is  a  very  convenient  arrangement. 

STILL    ANOTHER   PLAN. 

Take  joists,  two  inches  by  six,  about  fifteen  inches 
long,  two  pieces  for  a  stand ;  cut  a  board  about 
twenty  inches  long  and  fifteen  inches  or  more  in 
width,  nail  this  on  the  edge  of  the  joists,  one  of  them 
supporting  each  end.  This  makes  a  very  cheap  and 
convenient  stand. 


THE  APIARY.  103 

THE  PROrER  HEIGHT. 

I  have  known  bees  to  do  well  at  all  heights,  from 
three  inches  to  one  hundred  feet  from  the  earth ;  in 
fact,  from  the  thickness  of  an  inch  board  laid  flat  on 
the  ground,  to  that  of  a  hollow  limb  of  a  tree  high  up 
in  the  air;  but  these  are  the  extremes.  I  find,  from 
experience,  that  there  is  less  difference  in  the  distance 
they  are  from  the  earth  than  many  suppose,  and  less 
than  what  arises  from  other  circumstances.  If  the 
apiary  is  protected  from  winds,  and  there  is  consid- 
erable surface  of  board  immediately  in  front  of  the 
hive,  on  which  they  can  readily  alight  when  they 
return  heavy  laden,  and  a  piece  of  board  set  up  in 
front,  so  that  any  stragglers  may  crawl  up,  it  matters 
but  little  whether  they  are  six  inches  or  two  feet 
from  the  ground.  I  prefer,  for  convenience,  stands 
from  nine  to  twelve  inches  high,  which  is  about  the 
proper  distance  to  protect  them  from  grass,  weeds, 
spider  webs,  and  things  of  that  kind,  and  also  to  keep 
them  clean  and  tidy,  and  free  from  the  splashing  of 
heavy  rains  or  dampness  of  any  kind.  Mr.  Quinby 
uses  and  recommends  stands  but  two  inches  from  the 
ground.  I  have  tried  that  height,  and  have  recently 
visited  Mr.  Quinby's  apiary,  but  am  not  favorably 
impressed  with  stands  so  near  the  ground,  for  all 
purposes,  yet  he  succeeds  very  well  with  them. 

This  may  be  a  matter  of  choice  or  convenience 
with  each  individual,  with  the  foregoing  requisites. 

DISTANCE    BETWEEN    HIVES. 

I  have  kept  them  at  various  distances  apart,  from 


104  BEES  AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

u  very  few  inches  up  to  several  feet.  The  only  time 
any  serious  difficulty  occurs  is  early  in  the  spring, 
when  they  first  fly  out,  and  have  not  yet  fairly  marked 
their  locality;  and  before  their  nationality  is  fairly 
established,  they  are  liable  to  get  into  the  wrong 
hive.  Some  hives  will  be  found  destitute,  if  too  close. 
Then  again,  when  young  queens  go  abroad  to  meet 
the  drones,  they  are  likely  to  get  into  the  wrong  hive 
on  their  return,  and  thus  be  lost.  This  may  be 
averted  by  putting  a  distinctive  mark  on  the  front  of 
each  hive  that  is  known  to  be  maturing  a  young 
queen,  or  by  having  the  front  of  each  hive  to  diffijr 
from  the  adjoining  ones;  in  fact,  it  is  better  to  do 
this  even  when  they  are  some  distance  apart,  but  in 
a  straight  row.  I  would  advise  all  who  can  do  so, 
to  keep  their  hives  from  one  and  a  half  to  three  feet 
apart. 

BEE    HOUSES. 

I  very  much  doubt  the  utility  of  bee  houses,  as 
they  are  generally'  constructed.  I  have  seen  one  or 
two  in  which  bees  seemed  to  do  pretty  well,  but  am 
well  satisfied  they  will  not  pay,  for  general  use.  I 
agree  exactly  with  Mr.  Quinby  on  this  point,  who 
says  they  are  objectionable  on  account  of  preventing 
a  free  circulation  of  air.  It  is  difficult  to  construct 
them  so  that  the  sun  may  strike  the  hives  both  in 
the  morning  and  afternoon,  which,  in  spring  time,  is 
very  essential.  K  they  front  south,  the  middle  of 
the  day  is  the  only  time  when  the  sun  can  reach  all 
the  hives  at  once;  this  is  just  when  they  need  it 
least,  and  in  hot  weather  is  sometimes  injurious,  by 


THE    APIARY.  105 

melting  the  combs.  It  is  better  to  dispense  with 
them  entirely,  simply  constructing  sheds  to  keep  the 
sun  off  the  hives  in  very  hot  weather,  and  protect 
them  from  rain. 

A    SIMPLE    SHED    PREFERRED. 

Since  the  invention  and  introduction  of  our  im- 
proved movable  comb  hives,  the  door  of  which  opens 
in  the  rear,  and  the  bed  or  top  is  hinged  to  open  or 
turn  up  from  rear  to  front,  requiring  a  space  of  about 
sixteen  inches  in  the  clear  above  the  lid  of  the  hive 
Avhen  shut  down,  we  have  constructed  and  used 
sheds  made  in  the  following  manner,  which  we  find 
to  do  well  and  give  general  satisfaction.  Get  posts 
of  some  durable  kind  of  wood,  about  eight  feet  long, 
set  them  two  and  a  half  or  three  feet  deep  in  the 
ground,  very  solid,  about  seven  feet  apart,  and  in  line 
with  the  front  of  the  row  of  hives ;  tack  a  strip  of 
board,  about  four  feet  long,  on  the  post  at  each  end 
of  the  row ;  giving  them  the  pitch  you  wish  the  roof 
to  have  sloping  toward  the  front  of  the  hives.  Ad- 
just a  third  strip  to  range  exactly  with  the  other  two ; 
take  still  another  strip  and  a  scribe  awl,  and  when 
you  get  the  proper  range  and  slope  of  the  others, 
mark  the  tops  of  the  posts,  and  saw  them  off.  Cut 
pieces  of  scantling,  two  by  four  (other  sizes  will  do), 
about  four  feet  long,  or  the  width  you  wish  the  roof 
to  be ;  spike  one  of  these  pieces  on  the  top  of  each 
post,  dividing  it  so  as  to  project  over  the  hives  to 
protect  them  from  the  sun  and  rain.  Take  pieces 
two  inches  wide  by  one  thick,  n^^il  them  on  the  side 


106  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

of  the  post,  about  two  feet  from  the  top,  and  up  to 
the  end  of  the  piece  spiked  on  top  of  post,  forming  a 
brace ;  wide  boards  may  be  used  lengthwise,  one  edge 
overlapping  the  one  below  it,  if  desired,  or  joists  may 
be  put  on  and  short  boards,  or  even  shingles,  used  to 
cover  with.  In  this  way  the  whole  shed  stands  on 
one  row  of  posts,  which  saves  both  labor,  material 
and  space.  This  kind  of  shed  suits  as  well  for  any 
style  of  hive  in  use,  as  it  does  for  my  own. 

ANOTHER  METHOD  OF  COVERING. 

Take  any  sound  boards  that  may  be  convenient, 
those  one-half  inch  thick  are  as  good  as  any ;  cut  two 
pieces,  twenty  inches  long  and  fourteen  inches  wide ; 
take  two  pieces,  about  seventeen  inches  long  and  four 
or  five  inches  wide,  and  slope  them  each  way  from  the 
centre ;  on  these  nail  the  boards  like  the  roof  of  a 
house,  which  may  be  set  on  and  taken  off  at  pleasure, 
or  simply  nail  cleats  on  the  underside  of  the  boards, 
one  being  wider  than  the  other,  so  as  to  give  a  proper 
slope,  set  this  on  the  top,  and  it  will  do  very  well. 
It  is  necessary,  in  all  cases,  to  have  a  current  of  air 
between  the  top  of  the  hive  and  the  roof,  to  prevent 
the  hot  sun  in  summer  from  melting  the  combs. 

PROCURING    BEES    TO    COMMENCE    AN    APIARY. 

[t  is  now  pretty  well  understood,  at  least  by  the  in- 

ciligent  portion  of  the  communitj'^,  that  bees  may  be 

bought  and  sold,  and  trafficked  with,  just  as  any  other 

kind  of  stock,  without  materially  affecting  the  luck 

(as  it  was  formerly  called).     Luck  depends  entirely 


TfiE   APIARY.  lot 

on  the  knowledge  of  the  apiarian,  and  the  mode  of 
managing  the  bees.  I  never  lost  a  hive  of  bees,  but 
it  could  be  traced  to  a  natural  cause,  which  was 
generally  neglect  or  carelessness,  that  could  have 
been  easily  obviated  with  proper  care  and  attention ; 
hence  I  have  long  since  been  satisfied  that  there  is 
no  danger  of  selling  luck  or  of  buying  luck  in  bees, 
only  as  it  is  bought  in  acquiring  knowledge  of  their 
habits  and  requirements,  and  practicing  it  carefully. 
Any  one  in  possession  of  this  knowledge  may  com- 
mence bee-keeping  with  the  same  assurance  of  suc- 
cess that  he  would  have  to  enter  upon  any  other 
pursuit. 

KIND    OF    STOCKS    TO    BUY. 

In  buying  bees,  as  in  most  other  kinds  of  stock, 
get  the  very  best  and  strongest  you  can,  even  if  you 
have  to  pay  a  higher  price  for  them  ;  they  generally 
prove  to  be  cheapest  in  the  end.  Select  such  as  have 
straight,  nice  combs,  with  as  little  drone-comb  as 
possible ;  this  you  can  tell  by  the  cells  being  larger 
than  the  worker  cells.  If  in  the  fail,  the  hive  should 
be  well  stored  with  honey,  the  combs  pretty  well 
filled,  and  covered  with  bees,  and  the  spaces  between 
the  combs  clustered  full  down  to  bottom.  If  in  the 
spring,  see  that  they  have  a  supply  of  honey  sufficient 
to  last  them  until  more  can  be  obtained  in  the  fields 
abroad,  and  that  there  is  a  strong  colony  of  bees. 
At  this  season  they  will  not  be  so  strong,  of  course, 
as  in  the  fall ;  however,  select  those  having  the  most 
bees  and  greatest  quantity  of  honey.  Stocks  of 
three,  four,  five,  or  even  more  years  old,  if  the  combs 


108  BEES    AND    BEEKEEPIXO. 

are  nice  and  healthy,  strong  and  vigorous,  are  as 
profitable  as  any.  There  are  about  as  many  colonies 
lost  when  but  one  year  old,  as  at  any  other  age,  up 
to  ten  or  twelve. 

PROPER   SIZE    AND    KIND    OF    HIVES. 

In  selecting  bees  to  begin  with,  the  size  and  kind  of 
hives  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  First,  in  regard 
to  size.  Mr.  Quinby  says,  that  2,000  cubic  inches  is 
the  proper  size  for  this  latitude,  but  I  would  prefer  a 
little  larger,  say  about  2,200  cubic  inches.  When 
the  improved  movable  comb  hives  are  used,  the 
frames  and  spaces  occupy  400  cubic  inches,  hence 
they  should  contain  about  2,600  cubic  inches  inside 
the  case.  These  sizes  should  be  exclusive  of  the 
chamber  or  cap  on  top  for  spare  honey  receptacles. 
In  southern  latitudes,  hives  of  a  less  size  would  do, 
perhaps,  equally  as  well,  the  winters  being  shorter 
and  honey  more  abundant. 

The  kind  of  hive  is  also  important  in  buying  bees, 
if  the  object  is  to  work  them  on  tlie  improved  plan, 
having  full  control  of  them.  It  is  quite  important 
to  get  those,  if  possible,  that  are  ah'eady  in  sucli 
hives,  as  it  saves  the  trouble  and  expense  of  buying 
new  hives  and  transferring  them. 

But  if  the  object  is  to  let  them  take  their  chances 
on  the  old  plan,  then  buy  good,  sound,  well  made 
box  hives ;  in  any  case,  they  should  be  well  made  and 
well  painted,  to  keep  them  from  swelling  and  shrink- 
ing by  the  changes  of  the  weather,  which  loosens  the 
combs  from  the  sides  and  top  where  they  are  attached. 


THE   APIARY.  109 

They  are  unsightly,  and  much  less  durable,  than  if 
planed  and  neatly  painted. 

TRANSPORTING    BEES    SHORT    DISTANCES. 

When  bees  are  removed  but  a  few  miles,  and  re- 
quire to  be  confined  but  for  a  day  or  two,  smoke 
them  a  little.  Invert  the  hive,  take  a  square  piece  of 
coarse  brown  sheeting  muslin,  spread  it  over  the 
mouth  of  the  hive,  if  an  open  one ;  lay  strips  of 
shingles  on  the  cloth,  and  tack  it  firmly  to  the  hive , 
these  strips  will  keep  the  bees  from  forcing  out  under 
the  edges  of  the  cloth,  and  require  less  tacks.  For 
very  strong  colonies  in  warm  weather,  there  should 
be  openings  on  each  side  of  the  hive,  of  about  three 
or  four  square  inches,  covered  with  wire  cloth,  to 
admit  air  and  prevent  the  bees  from  escaping  while 
in  transitu. 

The  improved  movable  comb  hive  (having  a  sta- 
tionary bottom  board  and  adjustable  slide  in  front, 
which  can  be  closed  instantly,  being  also  provided 
with  proper  ventilation  in  the  rear  from  the  graduated 
air  chamber  below,  admitting  the  air  freely  but  ex- 
cluding the  light,  which  prevents  them  from  inces- 
santly fighting  to  get  out),  is  a  very  convenient  hive 
in  which  to  transport  bees  safely  in  any  direction. 
Great  care  should  invariably  be  taken  to  ventilate 
well. 

Having  them  prepared  for  loading,  be  careful  to 

see  the  direction  of  the  combs  in  each  hive,  and  mark 

it  with  chalk  or  pencil,  if  they  are  to  be  hauled  in  a 

wagon  of  any  kind  (one  with  elliptic  springs  is  best 

10 


110  BEES  AND   BBE-ItEEPlNG. 

when  it  can  be  had) ;  set  the  hive  so  that  the  edges  of 
the  combs  will  be  at  the  sides  of  the  wagon,  as  the 
stroke  or  jolt  of  the  wheel,  in  passing  over  a  stone 
or  other  obstruction,  is  from  the  centre  to  the  sides ; 
the  combs  being  edgewise  to  it,  are  much  less  liable 
to  break  than  if  the  broad  side  was  in  that  direction. 

When  hauling  bees  on  a  sled  in  winter,  reverse 
them  ;  set  the  hives  so  that  the  combs  stand  forward 
and  aft,  as  the  stroke  of  a  sled,  when  it  strikes  any 
obstruction,  is  from  front  to  rear.  The  object  is  to 
always  have  the  edge  of  the  comb  toward  the  stroke 
or  jolt. 

Hives  should  always  be  packed,  either  in  wagons 
or  sleds,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  held  firmly  in 
their  place,  and  not  be  permitted  to  strike  against 
each  other,  nor  against  the  sides  of  the  box  in  which 
they  are  packed.  With  careful  driving,  bees  may 
be  safely  hauled  for  many  miles  over  very  rough 
roads,  even  in  a  wagon  without  springs,  with  the 
above  precaution,  in  mild  weather. 

BEST   TIME   FOR   TRANSPORTING   BEES. 

Moderate  or  mild  weather  is  the  best  time  for 
moving  bees,  yet,  when  necessary,  they  can  be  moved 
safely  at  any  time.  In  very  hot  weather  tlie  combs 
are  tender,  and  the  bees,  when  confiued  in  the  hive, 
greatly  increase  the  heat,  and  consequently  there  is 
great  danger  of  the  combs  breaking  down  and 
drowning  or  crushing  the  bees.  The  best  and  only 
safe  plan  to  adopt,  in  ver}-  hot  weather,  is  to  give 
the  bees  access  to  an  empty  space.     A  hive  made 


THE    APIARY.  Ill 

with  a  chamber  for  houey  boxes  does  very  well,  or 
when  made  with  a  cap ;  fasten  it  on  tight,  and  leave 
the  holes  open ;  the  bees  will  withdraw  from  the 
comb  into  any  vacant  space,  whether  above  or  below, 
or  at  the  side.  They  seem  to  suspect  the  danger  of 
their  combs  melting  and  breaking  down, 

I  owe  much  of  my  success  in  shipping  bees  to 
California  (through  the  hot  latitudes  of  the  Isthmus), 
to  giving  them  a  vacant  chamber  where  they  could 
withdraw  from  their  combs  when  danger  threatened 
them.  They  should  always  be  shaded  from  the  sun, 
and  have  a  free  circulation  of  air  around  them. 

In  extreme  cold  weather  the  combs  are  brittle; 
but  the  greatest  difficulty  is,  the  bees  get  excited, 
and  filling  their  sacs  with  honey,  they  worry  and  fret 
to  get  at  liberty  until  they  become  unhealthy.  If 
moved  far,  and  should  the  cold  continue  for  several 
days  after  they  are  landed  in  their  new  home,  so  as 
to  be  unable  to  fly  out,  they  become  greatly  distended 
with  fteces,  and  perish.  When  they  can  be  put  in  a 
warm  room  until  a  cliange  of  weather  occurs  and 
then  set  them  out,  there  is  less  danger  in  this  direc- 
tion ;  but  in  mild  weather  they  can  be  opened  out 
on  their  arrival,  when  they  will  fly  out,  and  void 
their  filth  and  clean  out  any  ofiensive  matter,  when 
all  is  right  again. 


112  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINQ. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


BEE    HIVES. 


Much  has  been  said  and  written  on  this  subject; 
many  humbugs  have  been  gotten  up  (whether  with 
honest  intentions  or  not),  and  pahned  off  on  bee- 
keepers, who,  as  a  general  thing,  were  profoundly 
ignorant  of  what  constituted  a  practical  and  at  the 
same  time  a  hive  suited  to  the  natural  habits  of  their 
faithful  little  servants,  and  consequently  they  were 
easily  imposed  on.  One  patent  bee  hive  has  followed 
another  in  rapid  succession,  many  of  which  have 
proved  to  be  worthless,  and  some  persons  have  lost 
in  these  speculations,  yet  notwithstanding  all  this, 
the  great  mass  of  the  people  have  been  benefited ; 
not  by  these  losses,  it  is  true ;  but  these  enterprises, 
together  with  other  things,  have  .set  the  people  to 
investigating  the  subject  of  bee-keeping,  and  to  ac- 
quire a  more  correct  knowledge  of  their  nature  and 
habits,  and  having  learned  something  reliable  in  this 
direction,  they  are  better  able  to  appreciate  their 
value  and  the  profits  that  might  be  derived  from 
them,  if  properly  managed,  and  also  to  understand 
the  requisites  of  a  good  hive.  Years  ago,  the  only 
method  practiced  of  getting  honey  was  by  digging  a 
pit,  setting  a  brimstone  match  in  this,  over  which  a 
hive  of  devoted  bees  was  placed,  and  the  fumes  of 
the  burning  match  would  soon  kill  the  entire  colony. 
But  this  barbarous  practice,  I  am  happy  to  say,  has 


HIVES.  113 

very  nigh  disappeared,  and  will  ere  long  be  number- 
ed amongst  the  things  that  were. 

We  might  here  inquire,  what  has  brought  about 
this  great  and  important  change?  The  invention 
and  introduction  of  surplus  honey  boxes,  or  small 
boxes  (with  glass  arranged  to  view  the  contents,)  to 
put  on  the  top  of  the  hive,  either  in  a  chamber  hive 
or  covered  with  a  cap.  In  these  boxes  the  bees  would 
store  the  most  beautiful  honey,  in  nice  shape  for  mar- 
ket. This  was,  perhaps,  the  leading  feature  in  a 
majority  of  hives  invented  and  introduced  to  the 
public  for  several  years,  though  in  various  forms  and 
combinations.  But  still  there  was  a  difficulty  in 
managing  bees  properly,  not  being  able  to  get  full 
control  over  them  ;  having  no  facilities  for  examin- 
ing the  interior  of  the  hive  or  of  applying  a  remedy 
for  any  defect  that  might  exist  there,  and  no  know- 
ledge of  the  mode  practiced  centuries  before  for  divid- 
ing and  increasing  them. 

It  was  vi'ell  known  by  the  Greeks  in  ancient  times, 
that  bees  would  start  and  build  their  combs  very 
readily  from  slats  or  strips  put  across  the  top  of  the 
hives  at  proper  spaces,  which,  together  with  the 
combs,  could  be  lifted  out  by  simply  cutting  loose 
the  combs  when  fastened  to  the  sides  of  the  hive. 
A  knowledge  of  these  facts  led  Huber,  a  celebrated 
naturalist  and  one  of  the  most  renowned  apiarians 
of  either  ancient  or  modern  times,  to  invent  a  hive 
composed  of  frames,  each  frame  capable  of  holding 
a  single  comb,  eight  of  these  frames .  being  put  to- 
gether side  by  side,  fastened  by  hooks,  and  closed 
10* 


114  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

around  by  shutters,  thus  forming  the  first  movable 
frames  and  the  first  movable  comb  hive  that  was 
known  to  the  world  as  such ;  consequently  Francis 
Huber,  of  Genoa,  about  the  beginning  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  was  the  inventor  of  the  first  movable 
comb  hive  !  He  is  justly  entitled  to  receive  the  honor 
of  founding  what  is  now  known  as  the  movable 
comb  system,  which  is  destined  to  revolutionize  the 
whole  business  of  bee-keeping. 

About  the  year  1820,  Mr.  Dunbar,  a  Scotch  apia- 
rian of  considerable  note,  improved  the  Huber  frame 
and  hive.  A  few  years  later,  it  was  still  further  im- 
proved by  Mr.  Golding,  an  Engish  apiarian,  and  co- 
temporary  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  E.  Bevan,  who  wrote 
a  valuable  book  on  bees.  This  style  of  hives  has 
been  used  to  some  extent  in  England  from  that  time 
up  to  the  present.  We  also  learn,  that  in  Germany 
the  slat  hives,  or  movable  bar  hives,  were  in  use  at  a 
very  early  period ;  and  that  a  German  apiarian, 
named  Dzierzon,  invented  and  used  a  frame  suspended 
in  a  hive  or  box,  many  years  ago.  Last  fall  I  saw 
some  of  these  frames  and  a  hive  that  were  brought 
directly  from  Germany,  with  a  colony  of  Italian  bees. 
In  shape  and  construction  they  are  almost  identical 
with  those  known  as  the  Langstroth  frames. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  but  little  effort  was 
made  to  introduce  either  the  system  or  the  movable 
comb  hive  (or  rather  leaf  hive,  as  it  was  then  called), 
into  the  United  States  until  within  the  last  ten  years. 

Mr.  Langstroth  claims  to  be  the  original  inventor 
of   movable   frames  for  managing  and   controlling 


HIVES.  115 

combs  and  bees.  In  the  year  1852  he  obtained  a 
patent  for  an  improvement  in  bee  hives,  since  which 
time  public  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  mova- 
ble comb  principle,  the  result  of  which  is,  that  it  is 
now  used  in  several  forms  or  styles  of  hives. 

The  necessity  of  having  the  full  control  of  every 
part  of  the  hive,  combs  and  bees,  when  desired  by 
the  apiarian,  is  becoming  so  well  understood  and 
appreciated  by  a  majority  of  intelligent  bee-keepers, 
that  the  movable  comb  hive,  in  some  shape,  is  now 
almost  unanimously  adopted,  and  will,  no  doubt,  ere 
long  entirely  supersede  all  other  classes  of  hives, 
however  good  they  may  hare  been  in  their  day.  Im- 
provement in  bee  hives  has  been  advancing  steadily, 
keeping  pace  with  other  implements  of  husbandry. 
The  value  of  bees,  and  the  necessity  and  importance 
of  managing  them  scientifically,  as  we  sometimes 
sa}^  is  now  becoming  clearly  apparent,  hence  the  im- 
portance of  selecting  and  adopting  the  best  form  of 
movable  comb  hives. 

IMPROVED    MOVABLE   COMB   HIVES. 

In  treating  on  this  part  of  my  subject,  I  will  point 
out  some  of  the  most  prominent  features  of  the 
movable  comb  hives  which  have  been  presented  to 
the  public,  and  endeavor  to  contrast  some  of  their 
advantages  and  disadvantages,  letting  the  reader 
judge  of  their  respective  merits  or  demerits.  I  dis- 
claim any  desire  to  disparage  any  hive,  further  than 
truth  and  an  experimental  knowledge  of  the  facts  in 
the  premises' require  at  my  hands. 


116 


BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 


These  cuts  illustrate  the  various  improvements  in  movable  frames,  from 
the  time  of  their  invention.  No.  1  is  the  Huber  Frame,  which  was  invented 
and  used  by  Francis  Ilabor,  of  Genoa,  as  earlj-  as  1795.  This  is  unques- 
tionably the  original  movable  frame.  No.  2  is  the  Frame  as  improved  by  the 
Rev.  L.  L.  Langstroth.  The  principal  difference  is  in  the  mode  of  using  it, 
being  suspended  by  a  projection  of  the  top  piece.  No.  3  is  the  Sectional  or 
Adjustable  Frame,  as  patented  by  J.  S.  Harbison.  It  differs  from  those  that 
preceded  it,  in  its  construction  and  adjustment  to  preserve  the  proper  spaces, 
and  retain  them  firmlv  in  theii  place. 


LANGSTROTH  S    HIVE. 


The  hives  known  as  Langstrotli's  Movable  Comb 
Hive,  and  HaAison's  Improved  Movable  and  Ad- 
justable Comb  Hive,  are  perhaps  better  known  to 
the  public  than  any  others  of  a  similar  kind,  whilst 


HIVES.  117 

we  have  Phelps',  Kidder's,  and  some  others  on  the 
same  principle,  and  the  leaf  hive,  recently  brought 
to  notice  by  Underhill,  of  I^ew  York,  which  very 
closely  resembles  the  original  Huber  hive.  Of  these, 
the  Langstroth  hive  was  the  first  introduced  ;  having 
been  before  the  public  nearly  eight  years,  it  is  there- 
fore better  known  than  any  others.  It  was,  no 
doubt,  an  improvement  in  some  particulars  over  the 
Huber  hive,  as  improved  by  Dunbar  and  Golding 
(as  I  have  already  stated),  and  Mr.  Langstroth  is 
justly  entitled  to  the  gratitude  and  well  wishes 
of  the  community  for  his  efforts  to  improve  and 
bring  to  the  knowledge  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States  what  had  been  commenced  in  Europe  by  other 
apiariaus,  and  might  very  appropriately  be  called  the 
Huber  hive  and  the  Huber  system. 

But  it  is  not  in  man  to  attain  to  perfection  in  any 
thing;  so  with  the  Langstroth  hive.  Although  an 
important  improvement,  yet  it  was  found  to  have 
difficulties  in  practice,  which  have  caused  other  par- 
ties to  experiment  for  the  purpose  of  overcoming 
these,  and  not  to  injure  or  detract  from  the  merits 
of  his  hive. 

In  the  first  place,  it  was  found  that  bees  would 
not  winter  so  well  in  broad,  flat  hives  (in  the  open 
air,)  as  in  hives  that  afforded  a  greater  depth  of 
combs.  Another  and  a  serious  drawback  was,  the 
great  difficulty  in  cleaning  out  the  dead  bees  and 
other  filth  that  is  ever  accumulating  on  the  bottom 
of  the  hive  ;  the  length  of  the  hive,  from  front  to 
rear,  being  from  eighteen  to  twenty-two  inches,  the 


118  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

bottom  stationary,  and  the  space  between  the  bottoms 
of  the  frames  and  the  bottom  of  the  hive  only  about 
half  an  inch,  rendered  it  quite  impossible  to  clean 
them  without  lifting  out  all  the  combs,  which  is 
neither  convenient  nor  yet  proper  to  do  at  all  times 
when  they  should  be  cleaned ;  hence  it  was  an  im- 
portant consideration  and  a  serious  objection.  The 
construction  and  adjustment  of  the  frames  was  not 
satisfactory.  The  facilities  for  transferring  combs 
from  other  hives  of  irregular  sizes,  and  the  mode  of 
so  adjusting  the  frames  as  to  fix  them  permanent  and 
stationary,  preserving  the  proper  spaces  between 
them,  was  defective,  frequently  causing  the  bees  to 
build  their  combs  across  and  join  them  together,  thus 
destroying  their  efficiency. 

Harbison's  improved  movable  comb  hive. 

The  hive  known  as  the  California  Hive,  or  Har- 
bison's Improved  Movable  Comb  Hive,  patented 
January  4th,  1859,  has  been  in  use  two  summers, 
and  so  far  as  I  am  informed,  has  given  satisfaction. 
The  depth  of  comb  is  about  sixteen  inches  (nine 
frames  to  the  hive),  which  is  a  good  shape  for  win- 
tering bees  in.  Another  important  feature  in  this 
hive  is  the  great  ease  with  vshich  it  can  be  kept  clean, 
by  simply  removing  a  slide  in  front,  and  if  necessary, 
one  in  the  rear,  and  brushing  out  any  filth  that  may 
be  found  on  the  bottom  board,  with  the  feather  end 
of  a  goose  quill  or  any  other  small  brush  convenient. 
The  bottom  board  being  an  inclined  plane,  enables 
the  bees  to  throw  out  dead  bees  and  filth  with  greater 


filVES. 


119 


Figure  1. 
ease  than  if  flat ;  it  also  prevents  rain  from  running 
into  the  hive,  or  moisture  from  accumulating.  It 
requires  but  four  pieces  to  make  the  frame ;  the  top 
piece  serves  as  a  comb-guide  and  a  rest  for  the  hone}''- 
board,  thus  economizing  both  room  and  heat:  the 
adjustable  bar  or  centre  piece  can  be  moved  either  up 
or  down,  by  pins  or  small  nails,  to  suit  the  size  of 
any  piece  of  comb,  while  being  transferred.     The 


120  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

frame  is  also  provided  witli  metallic  fastenings,  to 
hold  the  combs  firmly  in  their  place  until  properly 
secured  by  the  bees ;  and  are  so  adjusted  as  to  secure 
the  proper  space  between  the  combs  at  all  times, 
fixing  them  in  a  perpendicular  position,  and  retain- 
ing them  firmly  and  immovably  in  their  place,  yet 
being  easily  removed  when  desired. 

The  mode  of  ventilating  this  hive  is  new  and 
novel.  In  cold  weather  the  air  is  admitted  into  the 
graduated  chamber  below,  from  which  it  passes  up 
into  the  hive,  and  escapes  through  an  opening  above, 
carrying  off  the  foul  air.  This  is  very  essential  in 
wintering  bees;  cold  winds  are  thus  excluded  and 
plenty  of  air  supplied.  Another  important  feature 
is  the  case  with  which  admittance  can  be  had  to 
the  interior  of  the  hive,  by  the  peculiar  manner  in 
which  the  door  and  lid  are  arranged,  giving  free  ac- 
cess to  every  part  of  the  hive ;  and  Avhen  closed  it 
is  free  from  water  running  into  and  standing  in  the 
joints,  as  often  occurs  where  a  cap  is  set  in  a  rabbet 
or  groove. 

The  general  construction  of  this  hive  is  pleasing 
to  the  eye,  as  well  as  being  in  conformity  with  the 
natural  wants  of  the  bee ;  it  is  also  cheap  and  easily 
constructed.  Any  one  or  more  combs  can  be  taken 
out  with  ease  and  dispatch,  when  necessary  to  ex- 
amine the  condition  of  the  colony;  to  make  artificial 
swarms  to  supply  queenless  colonies  with  embryo 
queens,  or  combs  which  contain  eggs  or  young  larva, 
from  which  they  will  rear  queens ;  and  mIicu  it  be- 
comes requisite  to  equalize  the  stores  of  honey  and 


HIVES.  121 

pollen  by  taking  combs  from  those  hives  that  have 
more  than  is  actually  necessary  for  their  support, 
and  exchanging  with  those  that  lack,  enabling  all  to 
live  and  prosper. 

A  feature  peculiar  to  this  hive  is  the  honey-board, 
or  hoard  which  divides  the  main  breeding  depart- 
ment from  the  hone}'  boxes.  It  is  so  arranged  as  to 
prevent  the  queen  ascending  to  the  honey  boxes, 
w^hich  she  frequently  does,  depositing  eggs  in  combs 
intended  only  for  a  pure  article  of  honey  for  mai'ket. 
This  is  more  apt  to  occur  in  hives  that  have  but  a 
small  amount  of  drone-combs  below  ;  that  being  the 
kind  of  comb  very  commonly  built  in  the  boxes, 
seems  to  be  an  inducement  for  them  to  go  up  and 
deposit  eggs,  where  openings  arc  left  immediately 
over  the  central  part  of  the  hive.  Instead  of  getting 
boxes  of  delicious  honey,  there  Avill  occasionally  be 
a  box  of  nice  young  drone  brood.  A  queen  is  fre- 
quently lost  hy  being  taken  oif  when  these  boxes 
are  removed,  she  being  unable  or  unwilling  to  return 
to  the  hive  from  whence  she  was  removed;  if  late 
in  the  season,  the  stock  will  most  likely  be  lost  in 
consequence.  This  ditiiculty  is  entirely  overcome 
in  the  construction  of  this  hive,  the  openings  being 
at  the  sides  and  near  the  front,  consequently  out  of 
the  range  of  her  majesty.  I  have  never  known  a 
single  instance  of  the  queen  going  into  the  honey 
boxes  when  thus  arranged. 

This  hive  affords  ample  facilities  to  assist  the  bees 
in  eradicating  the  moth  and  worms.  I  have  no  faith 
in  moth-proof  hives;  if  there  are  any  such.  I  have 
11 


122  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPTNG. 

failed  to  sec  them.  The  moth  will  go  wherever  bees 
can  ;  the  best  that  can  be  done  is  to  assist  the  bees 
to  remove  them  when  they  have  made  a  lodgment; 

I  have  thus  noticed  some  of  the  principal  advan- 
tages pertaining  to  this  hive,  and  which  renders  it 
worthy  the  notice  of  all  bee-keepers  who  favor  the 
march  of  improvement  in  apiarian  pursuits.  It  is 
true,  that  a  person  who  is  too  ignorant  or  careless  to 
manage  bees  properly,  need  not  expect  splendid  re- 
sults from  this  or  any  other  hive.  Bee-keeping,  to 
be  either  successful  or  profitable,  must  first  be  under- 
stood, and  if  then  proceeded  with,  with  care  and 
perseverance,  success  is  certain  to  follow.  The  pecu- 
liarities of  this  hive  are  such  as  have  suggested  them- 
selves, from  time  to  time,  through  a  long  series  of 
years  of  practical  and  successful  bee-keeping,  both 
on  a  small  and  large  scale,  in  the  Atlantic  States  and 
in  California;  no  part  of  it  is  founded  on  theory,  but 
a  test  has  been  applied  to  prove  every  point,  and  it  is 
submitted  to  the  public,  believing  that  it  will  give 
full  satisfaction. 

SPECIFICATIONS. 

By  the  peculiar  arrangement  of  this  hive,  air,  with- 
out light,  is  admitted  into  the  hive,  so  that  the  bees 
are  well  supplied  with  the  necessary  material  for 
respiration  ;  and  by  being  kept  in  the  dark,  they  are 
continually  in  repose,  and  require  less  food  for  their 
sustenance  than  if  they  were  in  a  state  of  activity. 
This  economizes  their  winter's  store,  and  saves  the 
lives  of  many  bees  who  would  otherwise  die  of  star- 
vation, and  prevents  the  ravages  of  the  neighboring 


HIVES. 


123 


bees.  Fig.  1,  in  our  illustrations,  is  a  perspective 
view,  and  Fig.  2,  a  section  of  this  hive ;  and  by  refer- 
ence to  them  the  construction  will  be  understood. 

A  is  the  inclined  bottom-board  of  the  fifth  chamber. 
It  is  elevated  above  the  bottom  of  the  hive,  so  as  to 
form  a  chamber,  by  means  of  which  the  admission 
of  air  and  light  is  graduated  according  to  the  require- 
ment of  the  bees  at  different  seasons  of  the  year. 

B  is  the  graduating  chamber  for  the  admission  of 


124*  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPINQ. 

air  and  lig-lit  into  the  hive.  C  is  a  curtain,  which  can 
be  raised  to  admit  more  or  less  light,  as  may  be 
required,  and,  when  lowered,  serves  for  throwing  a 
shade  about  the  air  space,  thereby  preventing  the 
entrance  of  light  into  the  working-chamber  without 
interfering  with  the  ventilation  of  the  same,  and 
which  serves  to  keep  the  bees  in  a  state  of  repose  a 
greater  part  of  the  time  when  unable  to  collect  honey, 
or  during  windy  and  cold  weather  at  any  season.  J) 
is  the  cross-piece  to  which  the  curtain  is  attached.  It 
is  secured  to  the  inclined  bottom-board.  A,  at  such  a 
distance  from  the  door  as  to  allow  a  space  for  the 
admission  of  air  and  light  to  the  hive.  E  is  the  pas- 
sage for  the  admission  of  air  and  light  to  the  hive, 
and  F  is  a  movable  cross-piece,  provided  Avith  two 
wire  screens,  G,  for  the  purpose  of  admitting  the  air 
and  light,  which  ascend  through  the  passage,  E.  H 
is  an  adjustable  slide,  which  tits  loosely  in  grooves  on 
the  sides  of  the  hive,  and  provided  with  a  wedge,  I, 
for  the  purpose  of  tightening  or  loosening  the  same, 
said  slide,  H,  being  removed  to  admit  the  discharge 
of  any  impurities  which  may  have  collected  on  the 
inclined  bottom-board,  A.  J  is  a  cross-piece,  mor- 
tised to  admit  the  lower  end  of  the  sectional  comb- 
frames,  K,  which  has  a  tenon  cut  on  its  lower  end, 
and  which  fits  into  the  mortise  cut  in  the  cross-piece, 
J,  and  also  has  a  projection  on  its  upper  part  which 
fits  into  a  slot,  a,  cut  on  the  inner  part  of  the  front 
of  the  hive ;  by  this  means  it  is  secured  in  its  right 
position  in  the  hive,  the  lower  part  of  the  sectional 
comb-frame,  K,  being  adjustable  up  and  down,  by 


HIVES,  125 

means  of  holes  and  pins,  for  adjusting  it  to  the  dif- 
ferent sized  combs.  By  removing  the  honey  boxes, 
and  bearing  on  the  upper  part  of  the  sectional  comb- 
frame,  K,  it  can  be  elevated  out  of  the  slot,  «,  and  the 
apiarian  is  thus  enabled  to  remove  or  replace  it  with 
ease  and  facility  without  molesting  the  other  bees,  or 
in  any  way  injuring  the  combs  in  the  adjoining 
frames. 

The  sectional  comb-frame,  K,  is  provided  with  six 
or  more  flexible  metal  clamps,  h  b,  secured  to  its 
upper  and  lower  ends,  which  serve  to  retain  the  comb 
in  the  sectional  comb-frame ;  and  by  raising  the 
flexible  metal  clamps,  h  b,  on  one  side  of  the  frame, 
the  apiarian  can  remove  or  replace  a  comb  with 
facility  and  dispatch. 

L  is  the  platform  supporting  the  honey-boxes,  and 
resting  on  the  tops  of  the  sectional  comb-frames,  K, 
of  such  a  width  as  to  allow  a  passage  for  the  bees  to 
the  honey  box.  The  platform,  L,  is  provided  with  a 
flexible  back-angular  clamp  and  a  flexible  front- 
angular  hinged  clamp,  both  of  which  serve  to  brace 
the  honey  boxes ;  e  e  e  are  the  honey-boxes  resting 
on  the  platform,  L ;  /  is  the  upper  coupling  strap, 
fitting  under  the  angles  of  the  flexible  angular-clamps, 
which  completes  the  bracing  of  the  honey-boxes. 

By  removing  the  coupling-strap,  /,  and  folding 
down  the  flexible  angular  hinged  clamps  on  L,  the 
honey  boxes  may  be  removed  separately ;  and,  by 
folding  the  flexible  angular  hinged  clamp  to  its  for- 
mer position,  and  replacing  the  coupling  strap,/,  the 
honey  boxes  may  all  be  removed  at  once,  thus  afibrd- 
11* 


126  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPIN<J. 

ing  great  ease  and  facility  for  reaching  the  sectional 
comb-frames,  K;  g  are  apertures  provided  with  wire 
screens,  >h,  and  movable  covers,  for  the  admission  of 
air  and  light  to  the  graduating  chamber,  13.  These 
openings  are  provided  with  movable  covers  for  the  in- 
gress and  egress  of  the  bees ;  i  is  the  door  of  the  hive, 
provided  with  an  opening,  y,  which  is  furnished  with 
a  wire  screen,  p^  and  movable  cover,  q,  that  serves  to 
admit  air  and  light  to  the  upper  part  of  the  hive.  K 
is  a  glass  frame,  resting  on  the  cross-piece,  J,  and 
inclosing  the  sectional  comb-frarne,  K,  and  /  is  a  glass 
frame  resting  on  the  glass  frame,  k,  and  inclosing  the 
honey  boxes,  e  e  e. 

BILL   OF    LUMBER,  WITH    DIRECTIONS    FOR    MAKING    HIVES. 

Two  sides,  2  ft.  5  in.  long,  13^  in.  wide.  One 
door  (for  the  rear  or  back  of  the  hive),  2  ft.  long; 
strips  1\  in.  nailed  iirmly  on  each  end  to  keep  it 
from  warping,  making  its  entire  length  2  ft.  2\  in. 
and  15|-  in.  wide.  One  front,  20|  in.  long,  with  a 
strip  on  top  1^  in.  making  entire  length  21f  in. 
15|  in.  wide.  One  bottom  board,  13|  in.  wide,  14^ 
in.  long;  this  is  set  3  in.  higher  at  the  rear  than  in 
front,  making  an  inclined  plane.  One  lid,  17  in. 
square ;  1  in.  strip  nailed  firmly  with  clout  nails 
under  each  end,  15  in.  apart,  leaving  room  to  shut 
down  nicely  over  the  hive.  One  piece  for  adjustable 
slide  in  front,  5|  in.  wide,  13  in.  long,  leveled  to 
suit  the  bottom,  and  adjusted  with  wedges,  as  shown 
in  engraving. 

Nail  the  sides  to  the  bottom,  giving  the  proper 


(Page  126. 


A  view  of  the  hive  wheu  arranged  for  storing  surplus  honey,  e  e 
are  the  sectional  honey  boxes.  L  is  the  honey  board,  which  is  mov- 
able, and  rests  directly  on  the  tops  of  the  frames.  K,  the  movable 
frames  of  the  principal  chamber  or  breeding  department  of  the  hive. 
.J  is  the  cross-bar  in  which  gains  or  notches  are  cut  to  receive  the 
lower  end  of  the  frame.  F  is  a  cross  piece,  with  wire  cloth  for  ven- 
tilation. Y  is  the  door  or  shutter,  m  is  an  opening,  covered  with 
wire  cloth,  for  foul  air  to  escape  through.  Z,  the  lid  thrown  back- 
ward. 


HIVES.  127 

bevel  to  form  the  inclined  plane,  as  seen  in  engrav- 
ing; put  on  the  front,  which  should  previously  be 
bored  or  mortised  to  receive  the  ends  of  the  top 
piece  of  the  frames ;  place  a  strip  2|  in.  under  the 
bottom,  at  the  back  part  of  the  hive,  under  the 
door;  now  hang  the  door,  with  2  in.  butt;  hang  the 
lid,  also,  with  butts,  to  the  front  of  the  hive,  so  that 
it  will  open  from  rear  to  front;  put  a  strip  1^  in. 
across  the  front  of  the  hive,  17  in.  from  the  lid;  just 
above  this  bore  two  holes,  1  in.  diameter,  which 
serve  as  convenient  entrances  for  the  bees ;  place  a 
strip  under  the  front  end  of  the  bottom  board  to  fall 
down  square  with  the  bottom,  and  a  small  piece  to 
fill  out  from  tliis  strip  to  the  front  piece.  The  case 
is  now  complete.  The  cross-bar  (in  which  gains  are 
cut  for  the  feet  of  the  frames  to  stand  in,)  is  set  in, 
gains  cut  in  the  sides  of  the  hive,  19J  in.  from  the 
lid  to  its  upper  edge ;  cross-bar  is  IJ  in.  square,  gains 
cut  in  this  are  |  in.  wide,  leaving  spaces  between  of 
f  in.  making  the  spaces  between  the  frames  If  in.; 
a  piece  2  in.  wide  is  set  between  this  and  the  bottom 
board,  through  which  holes  are  made,  and  covered 
with  wire  cloth,  to  ventilate  from  the  graduated 
chamber  below,  a  recess  of  J  inch  being  left  betw.een 
the  end  of  the  bottom  and  the  door  for  an  air  passage. 

FRAMES. 

Height  of  frames,  13|  in.;  top  piece  of  the  frame, 
13|  in.  the  front  end  projecting  |  in.  which  enters 
the  hole  or  mortise  in  front  board ;  tenon  on  the  foot 
on  the  opposite  angle  of  the  frame,  1|  in.  long,  f  in. 


128  BEES    ANb    BEE-KEEPING, 

wide ;  the  centre  piece  or  adjustable  bar  is  triangular, 
I  in.  on  either  piece,  and  shonld  be  set  from  the 
centre  to  the  lower  end  of  frame,  or  can  be  set  np  or 
down,  to  suit  the  width  of  comb  when  transferring. 
Nine  of  these  frames  are  used  in  each  hive.  Combs 
wdll  project  below  the  ends  to  the  bottom  board. 
The  top  piece  of  the  frame  is  f  in.  square.  Set 
with  one  edge  down,  to  form  a  comb-guide,  the 
opposite  one  up,  on  which  the  honey-board  rests;,  the 
sides  are  |  in.  wide,  f  in.  thick. 

A  sash  for  10  by  12  glass  is  put  in  the  rear.  Put  a 
honey-board  on  top  of  the  frames,  resting  directly  on 
them  and  on  the  sash.  The  honey-board  is  13  in. 
wide  and  11|-  in.  long,  with  a  strip  on  each  end  f  in. 
wide,  to  keep  it  from  warping.  Openings  are  made 
at  the  sides  and  front  for  bees  to  ascend  to  the  honey 
boxes,  the  chamber  for  which  should  be  about  G|  in. 
high  by  13  in.  square. 

PHELPs'    MOVABLE   COMB    HIVE. 

This  hive  is  constructed  somewhat  similar  to 
Langstroth's,  but  is  of  greater  depth  and  nearly 
square.  The  principal  diiference  is  in  the  frames. 
Phelps'  frame  is  composed  of  five  frames :  first,  one 
about  a  foot  square,  in  which  are  four  frames  six 
inches  square,  each  of  them  fitting  neatly  into  the 
larger  one ;  in  each  of  these  there  are  comb-guides. 
The  principal  advantage  claimed  for  this  arrange- 
ment is,  that  the  two  upper  frames  can  be  removed 
when  full,  and  replaced  with  empty  ones,  thus  obvi- 
ating the  necessity  of  using  surplus   honej^  boxes 


HONEY   BOXES,  129 

above.     The  bees  are  permitted  to  occupy  the  two 
lower  frames  for  brood  and  stores. 

I  have  not  had  the  opportunity  of  testing  the 
merits  of  this  hive,  but  it  strikes  me  that  the  frame 
is  too  complicated  and  detached,  so  much  space  being 
taken  up  by  tlie  divisions  or  partitions  in  the  frames, 
which  is  more  difficult  to  keep  warm  than  if  comb. 
Of  other  hives  on  the  movable  comb  priuciple,  but 
little  is  yet  known. 


CHAPTER   YIII. 

HONEY    BOXES. 

The  style  of  spare  honey  receptacles  is  an  impor- 
tant feature  in  bee-keeping.  As  in  most  places  the 
surplus  honey  is  the  chief  reliance  for  revenue,  con- 
sequently it  is  highly  important  that  it  be  got  up  for 
market  in  the  best  shape.  I  have  used  various  kinds 
of  boxes  for  some  years,  among  others  the  wooden 
boxes  made  of  boards  |  thick,  box  12|  inches  long, 
6  inches  square,  with  glass  in  one  end ;  holes  were 
bored  in  these  to  correspond  with  holes  in  the  honey- 
board..  For  home  use,  and  for  a  number  of  custom- 
ers, these  boxes  served  a  very  good  purpose ;  they 
are  cheap,  and  easily  made. 

GLASS   BOXES. 

I  also  make  boxes  with  glass  sides,  the  top,  bottom 
and  ends  of  wood.  These  I  get  out  6  inches  wide, 
bottoms  and  tops  12f  in  length,  and  ends  5^.     I  used 


130 


BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINQ. 


a  I  inch  beediug  plane,  the  bit  so  formed  as  to  work 
a  nice  beed  on  the  corner  of  the  board,  and  at  the 
same  time  cut  a  channel  ^  inch  deep,  and  of  proper 
width,  to  receive  the  glass,  which  should  be  cut  5| 
by  12|  to  fit  nicely  in  the  groove.  Boxes  made  in 
this  manner  are  both  neat,  convenient  and  cheap, 
and  will  sell  readily  in  any  market,  without  any  de- 
duction for  tare. 

This  style  of  boxes,  to  suit  a  retail  trade,  maj'^  be 
made  6  inches  square,  or  half  size,  weighing  from  six 
to  seven  pounds,  when  well  filled.  Many  customers 
will  buy  one  of  these  small  boxes,  when  it  would  not 
be  desirable  to  buy  one  of  larger  size. 

THE    SECTIONAL    HONEY   BOX. 


•  This  is  a  view  of  the  sectional  honey  box.  No.  1  is  a  ring  or  single  sec- 
tion, partly  detached.  It  is  made  of  stuff  §  in.  thick  by  IJ  in.  wide;  when 
finished  each  ring  is  6J  in.  square  on  the  outside ;  eight  of  these  sections 
compose  a  box  6^  in.  by  12  in.  A  small  triangular  comb-guide  is  put  in  the 
centre  of  the  top  piece  of  the  section.  If  the  proper  space  is  observed,  bees 
will  build  a  comb  in  each  with  groat  regularity. 

The  sectional  honey  box  was  recently  patented  by 
John  S.  Harbison  (of  the  firm  of  W.  0.  &  J.  S.  Har- 
bison).    It  is  composed  of  eight  rings,  or  frames, 


(Page  131.) 


The  above  cut  shows  the  pieces  in  detail,  which  being  put  to- 
gether constitute  a  single  ring  or  section  of  the  sectional  honey  box. 


HONEY   BOXES.  131 

provided  with  comb-guides,  eacli  of  which  is  the 
proper  size  to  contain  a  single  comb.  The  edges  of 
these  frames  fit  up  closely  together,  and  are  fastened 
by  clamps  or  strips  let  into  rabbets  on  the  sides, 
tacked  at  each  end,  forming  a  perfect  box,  which  if 
desired  for  retailing  in  market,  or  for  private  use, 
can  be  easily  subdivided  into  small  parcels,  of  from 
one  pound  upward,  to  suit  the  wants  of  purchasers, 
without  cutting  or  in  any  way  breaking  a  single  cell 
of  honey,  thereby  saving  loss  from  leakage,  and  obvi- 
ating the  difficulty  of  smearing  everything  it  comes 
in  contact  with.  This  box  greatly  economizes  the 
animal  heat  generated  by  the  bees.  It  is  well  known 
that  it  is  a  disadvantage  to  have  them  build  in  small 
boxes  ;  this  is  really  a  large  box,  and  yet  possesses  all 
the  conveniences  of  small  ones. 

The  rings  or  sections  are  made  of  soft  wood,  top 
pieces  1|  in.  wide,  6|  in.  long,  f  in.  thick ;  sides  5| 
in.  long,  same  width  and  thickness  as  the  top ;  bottom 
is  a  piece  f  in.  square,  set  with  one  edge  up,  the 
opposite  one  downward,  the  edge  flush  with  the  end 
pieces.  A  triangular  comb-guide  should  be  put  in 
the  centre  of  the  top  piece,  and  all  nailed  together 
with  I  finishing  nails. 

Jars  and  tumblers  are  put  on  to  be  filled  with 
honey,  more  for  ornament  than  utility  ;  they  are  only 
nice  to  exhibit.  Pieces  of  white  comb  should  be 
stuck  to  the  bottom  to  serve  as  guide-combs. 


132  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BEE    PASTURAGE. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  for  the  success  of 
an  apiary,  that  it  should  be  located  in  a  neighborhood 
where  the  bees  can  readily  find  an  abundant  supply 
of  good  pasturage.  The  success  of  bee-keeping  de- 
pends greatly  upon  this.  As  well  might  a  stock 
grower  expect  to  make  his  cfittle  profitable,  without 
supplying  them  properly  with  food,  as  to  suppose 
bees  will  live,  thrive  and  be  of  benefit  to  their  owners 
without  obtaining  constant  supplies  of  pollen  and 
honej^,  in  some  way,  from  spring  to  fall,  with  but 
little  if  any  intermission. 

The  inquiry  is  frequently  made,  Why  is  it  that 
bees  at  the  present  daj^  do  not  swarm  so  much,  nor 
make  as  much  honey,  as  they  did  years  ago,  during 
the  early  settlement  of  the  country  ?  With  the  same 
propriety  it  might  be  inquired,  Why  it  is  that  cattle, 
horses  and  other  stock  that  run  at  large  without  being 
cared  for,  do  not  thrive  and  be  as  profitable  to  their 
owners  now  as  formerly? 

I  presume  that  any  school  boy  of  ten  years  old 
could  very  readily  answer  the  latter  question,  whilst 
the  first  has  puzzled  many  older  heads,  and  would-be 
wise  bee-keepers ;  yet  the  answer  to  the  second 
question  applies  with  equal  force  to  the  first. 

Tlic  country,  in  its  wild  state,  produced  in  the 
greatest  abundance  an  unvarying  succession  of  flow- 
ers, from  early  spring  until  frost  came,  yielding  for 


BEt;   PASTURAGE.  133 

the  bees  unlimited  supplies  of  bee-bread  and  honey, 
enabling  them  to  propagate  very  rapidly,  and  to  store 
up  immense  quantities  of  honey,  bidding  delianceto 
the  moth,  unless,  perhaps,  some  disorganized  colony 
would  fall  a  prey  to  their  depredations.  As  the  for' 
ests  were  felled,  and  the  country  cleared  and  brought 
into  a  state  of  cultivation,  this  source  of  pasturage 
was  in  many  places  almost  entirely  cut  off,  until 
their  sole  dependence  was  on  the  clover  and  buck- 
wheat, which  lasts  but  about  two  months  of  the 
3'ear ;  the  remainder  of  the  season  they  cannot  gather 
sufficient  honey  to  supply  their  immediate  wants. 
In  such  cases,  men  have  provided  pasture  and  made 
suitable  provision  for  all  other  kinds  of  domestic 
stock,  but  the  bee,  the  most  faithful  and  productive 
of  all  servants,  is  left  to  provide  for  itself;  the  in- 
evitable result  of  which  will  be  their  total  extinction 
in  old  settled  countries,  unless  a  change  is  made  in 
this  direction,  and  pasturage  supplied  for  them, 
which  can  be  done  with  profit. 

BEST    KINDS    OP    EARLY   I>ASTURAQE, 

The  alders,  hazel  and  willows,  some  of  which 
yield  honey  and  others  pollen  (most  species  of  flow- 
ers yield  both.  My  observations  lead  me  to  believe 
that  the  male  flower  yields  pollen,  and  the  female 
honey ;  I  have  frequently  seen  bees  gathering  both 
honey  and  pollen  from  the  same  kind  of  flowers  at 
the  same  time.  It  can  be  tested  by  examining  both 
the  honey  sac  and  the  baskets  on  the  thigh,)  are  the 
first  to  afford  the  bees  pro\'ision  in  the  spring ; 
12 


134  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

where  these  abound  the  bees  advance  earlier  than 
elsewhere.  The  soft  maple  {aeer  rubrum)  yields  a 
considerable  quantity  of  honey  very  early,  if  the 
weather  is  fine;  the  golden  or  j^ellow  willow  also 
yields  supplies  quite  early ;  peach,  cherry  and  pear 
trees  put  forth  early ;  gooseberries,  strawberries,  cur- 
rants, &c.  all  aftbrd  rich  supplies.  To  close  this  list 
of  early  flowers,  the  dandelion  and  apple  come  forth 
in  rich-  profusion,  all  of  which  are  of  the  utmost 
importance  for  the  prosperity  of  the  bees  during  the 
season.  K  this  early  pasturage  fails,  or  if  the 
weather  should  be  so  unfavorable  as  to  prevent  the 
bees  from  gathering  a  supply  of  provisions,  they  will 
fail  to  rear  a  sufficient  quantity  of  brood  to  swarm 
early  or  to  harvest  the  clover  honey  to  advantage. 
"When  such  a  condition  of  things  exists,  feed  care- 
fully as  directed  in  the  chapter  on  feeding.  It  is  but 
seldom,  if  ever,  that  a  sufficient  quantity  of  honey  is 
gathered  from  these  early  flowers  to  cause  the  bees 
to  store  it  in  surplus  boxes,  yet  enough  is  frequently 
obtained  to  fill  up  a  large  portion  of  the  combs  from 
which  the  honey  has  been  consumed  during  the  win- 
ter, and  serves  to  supply  their  immediate  wants  until 
clover  blooms. 

Let  me  here  caution  all  bee-keepers  to  see  well  to 
this  matter,  and  be  sure  that  your  little  servants  are 
well  supplied  with  provisions  from  the  opening  of 
spring  until  the  white  clover  blooms. 

THE    NEXT    PASTURAGE. 

Turnips,  cabbage  and    the  hard    maple  (acer  mc- 


BEE   PASTURAGE.  135 

charinus)  yield  a  considerable  quantity  of  honey,  but 
later  than  the  soft  maple.  Turnips  produce  a  very 
copious  supply  of  both  honey  and  pollen,  and  if  left 
standing  in  the  ground  over  winter,  they  bloom  just 
at  a  time  to  fill  the  recess  between  the  fruit  tree 
ilowers  and  the  clover.  This  is  also  the  case  with 
the  cabbage  family,  all  of  which  yield  large  quanti- 
ties of  honey.  A  field  of  either  turnips  or  cabbage 
at  this  early  season,  is  of  greater  value  to  the  bees 
than  the  same  quantity  of  either  clover  or  buckwlieat. 

I  would  here  impress  upon  the  minds  of  all  bee- 
keepers the  importance  of  cultivating  a  field  in  tur- 
nips each  year.  In  the  fall  gather  in  all  the  large,  fine 
ones,  either  for  marketing  or  for  feeding  sheep 
and  cattle  during  winter,  for  which  they  are  very 
valuable,  and  will  well  repay  the  expense  of  raising 
them ;  enough  small  ones  will  be  left  standing  in  the 
ground  over  winter  to  make  a  rich  field  of  pasturage 
for  the  bees  in  the  spring,  leaving  the  ground  in  fine 
condition  for  a  crop  of  buckwheat,  or  to  sow  down  in 
wheat  in  autumn,  or  to  again  put  down  in  turnips. 

The  various  kinds  of  blackberries,  and  the  wild  or 
bird  cherry  {cerasus  seratina),  yield  honey,  and  serve 
to  supply  to  some  extent  the  recess  above  referred  to. 
We  have  also  a  species  of  kale,  or  wild  turnip, 
which  if  sowed  very  early  in  the  spring  will  com- 
mence to  bloom  toward  the  latter  part  of  May,  and 
is  very  valuable.  I  can  supply  seed  of  this  plant  at 
any  time  to  persons  desiring  it. 

Raspberries  of  all  kinds  yield  an  immense  amount 
of  honey,  and  continue  blooming,  giving  a  succession 


136  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

of  fresh  flowers,  for  about  three  weeks.  But  few  if 
auy  flowers  produce  such  quantities  of  honey  as  the 
raspbeny,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  flowers. 
Bees  work  on  them  from  early  dawn  until  dewy  eve, 
singing  a  cheerful  song  all  the  while ;  even  a  shower 
of  rain  will  not  drive  them  from  it.  The  honey  is 
of  the  finest  quality.  These  facts  should  be  turned 
to  good  account,  when  we  consider  the  value  of  the 
raspberry  (being  a  certain  crop,)  as  a  market  fruit, 
and  also  for  flimily  use,  and  the  ease  with  which  it 
can  be  cultivated.  In  the  country,  large  plats  of 
ground,  even  fields,  should  be  devoted  to  its  culture, 
and  in  towns  and  cities  plats  in  every  garden  should 
be  set  aside  for  its  cultivation,  as  well  for  its  fruit  as 
for  the  honey  it  produces. 

Catnip,  motherwort,  hoarhound,  honeysuckles  and 
various  other  kinds  of  flowers,  put  forth  about  the 
same  time  ;  each  would  be  of  great  value,  if  in  sufli- 
cient  quantities. 

EARLY   SUMMER   FLOWERS. 

At  the  head  of  this  list  preeminently  stands  white 
clover  {trifolium  repens),  which  is  found  along  the 
roadsides  in  meadows,  grain  fields,  gardens,  pasture 
fields,  in  fact  it  may  be  seen  every  where.  The  seed, 
which  are  very  abundant  and  very  small,  are  driven 
in  every  direction  by  the  winds ;  this  has  been  over- 
looked by  previous  writers.  The  heads,  which  contain 
the  seed,  are  quite  small  and  very  light;  the  stalks 
stand  erect  until  winter  sets  in  and  the  ground  is 
frozen,  by  which  time  the  stalk  of  it  has  become 


BEE   PASTURAGE.  137 

brittle,  and  every  wind  breaks  off  and  rolls  along  the 
ground  a  portion  of  these  little  seed-pods,  until  they 
meet  some  obstruction ;  here  they  will  germinate. 
Thus  they  are  scattered  in  every  direction.  I  have 
frequently  seen  them  driven  furiously  on  the  crust 
of  a  shallow  snow,  through  which  the  heads  would 
project.  The  value  of  this  clover  is  entirely  under- 
rated as  a  pasture  for  cattle  or  horses,  as  well  as 
bees ;  it  is  always  selected  by  stock  in  preference  to 
the  red  clover.  The  honey  gathered  from  it  is  of 
the  highest  excellence,  both  in  beauty  and  flavor; 
and  I  believe  in  good  seasons  all  the  bees,  in  any 
neighborhood  where  it  abounds,  could  not  gather 
the  fourth  part,  so  great  is  the  quantity  produced. 

The  tulip  tree  {liriodendron\  or  poplar,  as  it  is 
called  by  some,  by  others  white-wood,  is  a  great  pro- 
ducer of  honey.  Nothing  of  the  tree  kind  that  I 
have  ever  seen,  exceeds  it ;  the  flowers  expand  in 
succession,  are  of  a  bell-like  shape,  mouth  upward. 
In  dry,  warm  weather,  I  have  seen  a  teaspoonful  of 
pure  honey  or  saccharine  matter,  in  a  single  cup  or 
flower.  Bees  work  upon  it  with  the  same  vigor  they 
manifest  when  carrying  honey  from  some  other  hive, 
or  when  fed  to  them.  I  have  frequently  seen  our 
bees  carrying  in  this  honey  from  the  first  peep  of 
day  until  long  after  the  sun  had  set,  on  warm,  moon- 
light nights.  Where  this  timber  abounds,  bees  reap 
a  rich  harvest  from  it. 

The   yellow   and   black   locust   tree   yield   large 
quantities  of  honey.    It  is  a  tree  every  farmer  should 
cultivate  for  posts:  it  will  ere  long  be  in  great  de- 
12* 


138  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

mimd  for  that  purpose.  The  linden,  or  bass-wood 
[tilia  Americana)^  produces  honey  to  a  large  amount. 
All  of  these  varieties  of  trees  should  be  extensively 
cultivated,  both  as  shade  and  ornamental  trees,  as 
well  as  for  their  timber  and  the  vast  quantities  of 
honey  they  yield.  Sumach  also  produces  honey 
bountifully ;  the  difficulty,  however,  is,  that  there  are 
but  few  places  where  these  are  found  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  be  of  importance.  I  trust  they  will  be 
extensively  cultivated. 

MUSTARD    AND    MIGNONETTE. 

The  common  black  mustard  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  plants  to  cultivate  as  a  pasture  for  bees ;  it 
is  easily  raised,  by  simply  sowing  it  on  ground  when 
well  plowed  and  pulverized  by  harrowing  smooth, 
and  then  brushing  it  in  with  a  light  brush  or  very 
light  harrow.  It  should  be  sown  early  in  the  spring, 
on  good  ground.  The  seed  is  now  worth  from  eight 
to  fourteen  cents  per  pound  in  Pittsburgh  and  other 
cities,  for  grinding  and  preparing  for  table  use ;  at 
these  prices  it  will  pay  well  as  a  field  crop,  being 
worth  more  per  bushel  than  clover  seed.  I  was  told 
recently  by  a  man  largely  engaged  in  grinding  and 
preparing  spices,  that  it  is  quite  difficult  to  get  a 
supply  of  good  mustard ;  so  scarce  is  it,  that  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  import  it  from  Europe.  He  also 
informed  me  that  this  black  mustard  is  of  greater 
value  than  the  white.  Those  interested  in  bee-keep- 
ing should  give  the  cultivation  of  mustard  some 
attention.     As  a  bee  pasture  it  has  few  superiors, 


BEE   PASTURAGE.  139 

yielding  both  pollen  and  honey  in  great  abundance ; 
it  begins  to  open  its  flowers  when  quite  young  and 
continues  as  the  bush  expands,  until  it  becomes  very 
large  ;  each  day  brings  forth  new  blossoms.  A  field 
of  mustard  in  full  bloom  is  a  most  magnificent  sight ; 
it  is  like  a  vast  pile  of  golden  flowers ;  the  plants  are 
completely  enveloped  with  flowers,  from  the  ground 
up  as  high  as  a  man's  head.  There  is  no  other  plant 
that  I  ever  noticed  that  produces  so  many  flowers  to 
any  given  quantity  of  ground,  nor  yields  so  much 
honey.  Last  summer  we  raised  a  field  of  it  in  Cali- 
fornia, expressly  for  our  bees,  and  found  it  to  pay 
largely,  as  it  filled  a  recess  that  occurred  between 
other  flowers.  In  almost  any  of  the  Atlantic  States  it 
serves  to  fill  the  recess  that  occurs  between  the  closing 
of  the  white  clover  and  the  opening  of  the  buck- 
wheat flowers,  a  period  of  about  four  weeks,  which 
is  the  very  best  part  of  the  year  for  gathering  honey, 
as  the  weather  is  generally  warm  and  calm ;  hence 
the  propriety  of  raising  this  crop  to  employ  the  bees 
profitably. 

In  the  San  Jose  valley,  California,  mustard  is 
almost  the  entire  dependence  of  the  bee-keepers  for 
their  surplus  honey;  it  grows  spontaneously  there, 
and  can  be  seen  in  its  purity.  The  honey  produced 
from  it  resembles  that  yielded  from  the  linden,  both  in 
color  and  taste. 

Mignonette,  a  modest,  unpresuming  little  flower, 
found  in  all  well  assorted  collections,  is  one  of  the 
greatest  value  as  a  bee  pasture,  if  grown  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  to  be  an  object.     It  is  low  growing 


140  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

and  spreading  in  its  habits,  similar  to  wliiLe  clover, 
and  3'ields  both  honey  and  pollen  ;  it  will  bloom  con- 
tinually, from  the  middle  of  June  until  killed  by 
frosts  in  the  fall.  It  is  easily  raised  in  large  quantities 
if  the  ground  is  clear  of  weed  seed,  plowed  and  well 
pulverized  by  harrowing  before  sowing.  Sow  thinly 
and  brush  it  in  with  a  light  brush ;  all  that  is  required 
after  this  is  to  pull  out  ajiy  large-growing  weeds  that 
may  chance  to  make  their  appearance  before  the 
mignonette  spreads  over  the  ground ;  when  it  takes 
possession  of  the  ground,  it  needs  no  further  care. 
A  bed  of  these  flowers  will  perfume  the  air  for  quite 
a  distance  around,  so  rich  is  it.  Bees  will  work  on 
it  from  dajdight  until  dark ;  two  or  three  may  be 
seen  at  once  on  a  single  head  or  flower. 

CEPHALANTHUS,    OR   BUTTON-BUSH. 

The  cephalanthus  Canadensis,  or  button-bush,  which 
grows  in  swamps  and  low,  wet,  marshy  grounds  in 
almost  every  part  of  the  United  States,  preserving 
the  same  appearance  wherever  found,  produces  honey 
of  the  highest  excellence.  The  honey  gathered  from 
this  shrub  is  of  a  very  light  straw  color,  of  a  thick, 
heavy  body  and  very  excellent  flavor.  Bees  thrive 
and  store  honey  very  rapidly  when  they  have  access 
to  large  quantities  of  these  flowers.  The  time  of 
blooming  varies  with  diflerent  localities,  but  it. gen- 
erally begins  to  put  forth  flowers  about  the  first  of 
July,  and  continues  for  three  or  four  weeks. 

In  the  Sacramento  and  some  other  valleys  in  Cali 
foruia,  the   cephalanthus  abounds  along  streams  of 


BEE    PASTURAGE.  141 

water  or  in  the  edges  of  the  Tule  lands,  where  it 
grows  very  large  and  yields  immense  quantities  of 
honey,  of  the  best  quality  in  the  State,  and  scarcely 
inferior  to  any  in  the  world. 

BUCKWHEAT. 

In  all  places  where  this  valuable  grain  is  raised,  it 
becomes  an  important  accession  to  bee  pasturage. 
A  field  of  buckwheat  yields  an  incredible  quantity 
of  honey,  which  perfumes  the  air  for  a  considerable 
distance  around.  When  the  weather  is  favorable, 
the  bees  store  honey  from  it  very  rapidly,  faster  at 
times  than  they  can  build  combs  to  receive  it.  I 
have  seen  them  fill  pieces  of  old  combs  laid  close  to 
the  entrance  of  the  hive,  with  honey,  and  have 
known  colonies  to  fill  four  boxes  of  honey,  or  about 
fifty  pounds,  during  the  continuance  of  buckwheat. 
This  is  by  no  means  a  common  occurrence,  and  goes 
to  show  that  this  honey  harvest  is  one  of  great  im- 
portance to  the  bee-keeper.  Buckwheat  may  be 
sown  about  a  month  earlier  than  usual,  to  furnish 
pasturage  to  come  in  about  the  close  of  clover,  to 
great  advantage. 

I  have  thus  shown  that  various  kinds  of  flowers  may 
be  cultivated  to  produce  abundant  pasturage  to  supply 
the  bees  bountifully  with  stores,  from  early  spring 
until  autumn.  If  bees  are  still  permitted  to  starve, 
it  will  be  the  fault  of  their  keepers  in  neglecting  to 
provide  for  them ;  and  they  will  consequently  reap 
the  reward  of  their  negligence  in  the  loss  of  their 
bees.      Only  the  most  important  kinds  of  flowers 


142  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

that  produce  houey  and  pollen  have  been  mentioned. 
A  great  many  others  of  value  have  not  been  named, 
that  in  some  localities  yield  the  greatest  abundance 
of  honey.  My  object  is  to  call  special  attention  to 
such  kinds  as  can  and  ought  to  be  cultivated  for 
other  purposes,  as  well  as  for  bee  pasture.  Until 
care  is  taken  to  supply  flowers  for  bees  on  the  same 
principle  that  pasture  is  provided  for  cattle,  bee- 
keeping will  not  rest  on  a  solid  foundation,  but  will 
be  precarious  and  uncertain.  To  cultivate  such 
flowers  as  I  have  suggested,  simply  keeping  the 
supply  uniform  throughout  the  season ;  or  in  other 
words,  to  return  to  first  principles,  to  restore  by  cul- 
tivation an  amount  of  pasturage  equivalent  to  what 
has  been  destroyed,  will  render  bee-keeping  as  reli- 
able as  any  other  business. 


SUMMER. 


CHAPTER   X. 

MANAGEMENT    OF    BEES. 
HOW  TO  CONQUER  BEES  AND  PREVENT  THEM  FROM  STINGING. 

When  bees  are  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  their 
stores,  they  immediately  rush  to  the  cells  and  fill 
their  sacs  with  honey,  apparently  to  provide  against 
any  contingency  that  might  arise.  When  in  this 
condition,  they  are  perfectly  harmless,  never  volun- 
teering an  attack;  consequently,  to  tame  bees  or 
render  them  docile  and  easily  driven  or  handled, 
simply  take  advantage  of  this  peculiar  instinct.  Con- 
fine them  closely  to  their  hive,  and  rap  repeatedly 
on  its  sides  for  a  few  minutes,  they  vnll  become 
alarmed,  and  gorge  themselves  with  honey,  when 
they  can  be  handled  and  controlled  at  pleasure. 

We  have  adopted  the  following  plan,  which  wc 
find  best  adapted  to  our  hive,  and  recommend  it  to 
others,  with  the  assurance  that  it  will  give  satisfac- 
tion. Take  clean  cotton  or  linen  rags,  such  as  are 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper ;  make  a  nice  roll 
of  these,  about  an  inch  in  diameter  and  from  six  to 
twelve  inches  long ;  wrap  it  pretty  tight,  either  with 
narrow  strips  or  shreds  torn  from  pieces  of  cloth,  or 
wrapping  yarn  of  any  kind ;  prepare  a  number  of 
such  rolls,  and  keep  on  hand  in  a  box  or  any  dry 

(143) 


144  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

place  in  or  near  the  apiary,  together  with  some 
matches.  When  you  wish  to  open  a  hive  or  perform 
any  operation,  set  fire  to  one  end  of  a  roll  of  rags — it 
makes  quite  a  smoke  without  any  blaze ;  upon  open- 
ing the  hive,  blow  the  smoke  vigorously  among  the. 
bees  for  a  moment  or  two,  which  terrifies  them 
without  doing  any  permanent  injury;  they  immedi- 
ately rush  to  the  cells  and  fill  their  sacs  with  honey, 
when  you  can  proceed  to  lift  out  one  comb  after 
another,  and  perform  any  operation  with  perfect 
impunity,  without  any  fear  of  being  stung,  unless  by 
those  from  other  hives  near  at  hand.  Should  there 
be  some,  however,  that  show  signs  of  battle,  blow  a 
little  more  smoke  upon  them,  and  repeat  it  from 
time  to  time  until  the  close  of  the  operation. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  honey  season,  when  they 
are  rich  and  increased  in  stores,  they  are  harder  to 
control  than  at  any  other  season  of  the  year.  When 
this  occurs,  put  a  small  portion  of  tobacco  or  a  few 
grains  of  sulphur  in  your  roll  of  rags,  which  renders 
the  smoke  more  pungent,  and  will  drive  them  with 
perfect  ease. 

PROTECTION. 

It  is  said,  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than  a 
pound  of  cure.  All  persons  are  liable  to  be  stung  in 
hot  weather,  when  passing  near  their  bees,  when 
cleaning  filth  from  the  bottom  of  the  hive,  removing 
worms,  changing  honey  boxes,  or  any  thing  of  this 
kind.  This  causes  many  to  neglect  their  bees,  and 
thereby  consign  them  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
moth.    The  fear  of  being  stung  deters  many  persons 


(Page  145.) 


The  above  illustrates  the  protector,  or  veil — an  indispensable  ar 
tide  to  many  bee-keepers,  and  one  that  should  be  found  in  ever; 
apiary. 


MANAGEMENT.  145 

from  keeping  bees ;  this  can  easily  be  prevented,  and 
one  of  the  greatest  objections  to  bee-keeping  removed, 
by  simply  using  a  veil  or  screen  to  protect  the  face 
and  neck,  and  gum  elastic  or  buckskin  gloves  to 
protect  the  hands.  Take  a  piece  of  silkbobbinet, 
(green,  if  it  can  be  obtained),  about  two  feet  in  width 
by  four  and  a  half  in  length,  gather  the  edge  or  side 
of  this  into  a  band  that  will  slip  over  the  crown  of 
the  hat  down  to  the  brim,  suspending  it  over  the 
edge  of  the  brim  all  around  the  face  and  neck  ;  attach 
a  tape  or  string  at  the  back  part,  near  the  lower 
edge;  pass  this  around  so  as  to  confine  the  veil  to 
the  coat  or  vest  collar,  and  fasten  beneath  the  chin. 
By  wearing  a  broad  brim  summer  hat,  it  keeps  the 
veil  from  coming  in  contact  with  any  part  of  the 
face,  and  effectually  protects  it.  This  veil  can  be 
easily  carried  in  the  coat  pocket,  or  kept  in  some 
convenient  place  for  instant  use ;  when  used  it  ob- 
structs the  view  but  little,  and  does  not  injure  the 
eyes  by  continued  use.  Other  kinds  of  bobbinet,  or 
even  such  stuff  as  is  commonly  used  for  mosquito 
bars,  may  be  used  in  the  same  manner;  the  cost  of 
which  would  be  less  than  silk.  We  have  used  hats 
made  of  fine  wire  cloth,  but  have  discarded  them  for 
two  reasons:  first,  to  wear  one  of  these  and  be  ex- 
posed to  a  hot  sun,  is  disagreeable,  and  even  danger- 
ous, as  they  afford  but  little  protection  fix)m  its  rays; 
but  the  greatest  objection  is  the  injurious  effect  upon 
the  eyes,  produced  by  the  frequent  use  of  the  wire, 
the  reflection  of  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  the  wire 
soon  producing  an  aching  or  painful  sensation,  and 
13 


146  BEES    AXD    BEE-KEEPI^•G. 

affecting  the  sight,  hence  I  prefer  the  veil.  I  would 
recommend  all  persons  to  provide  several,  by  getting 
cheap  summer  hats  and  trimming  them  with  veils; 
keep  them  in  some  convenient,  dry  place  near  the 
entrance  of  the  apiary.  If  a  visitor  who  is  fearful 
of  being  stnng,  wishes  to  look  into  the  apiary,  he 
can  don  a  screen  or  veil,  and  examine  all  the  curiosi- 
ties without  any  fear.  A  sense  of  perfect  security 
against  the  attacks  of  the  bee  renders  the  most  timid 
very  courageous;  in  fact,  if  it  was  generally  under- 
stood that  there  is  no  positive  necessity  for  being 
stung  in  the  management  of  bees,  ten  would  engage 
in  it  for  one  that  does  so  at  present. 

now   TO   TRANSFER. 

should  you  wish  to  transfer  a  colony  from  an  or- 
dinary hive,  proceed  as  follows:  invert  your  hive, 
place  a  box  on  the  mouth  of  it,  close  up  any  aper- 
tures with  a  cloth,  or  anything  convenient,  to  prevent 
the  bees  from  getting  out,  then  rap  gently  but  repeat- 
edly' on  the  hive,  continue  this  for  some  time ;  the 
bees  will  gorge  themselves  with  honey  and  ascend  to 
the  box,  when  you  can  gently  remove  it  and  let  it 
stand  until  the  combs  are  transferred  to  the  new  hive, 
the  few  bees  that  remain  will  give  but  little  trouble. 
Having  all  things  in  readiness,  the  frames  provided 
with  strips  of  tin  I  in.  wide  and  2^  long,  proceed  to 
remove  one  side  of  the  old  hive  to  admit  of  cutting 
out  the  comb  full  size,  without  breaking  or  mutilat- 
ing them;  adjust  the  centre  bar  of  the  frame  to  suit 
the  depth  of  the  comb,  cutting  off  any  points  or  in- 


(Page  146.) 


B  shows  the  hive  inverted.     A.  the  box  placet!  on  the  top  or  mouth 
of  the  hive. 


(Page  147.] 


This  cut  illustrates  the  manner  of  cutting  and  fitting  combs  in  the 
frames.  D  represents  a  comb  taken  from  the  old  hive  and  laid  on  a 
table.  K  is  a  frame  laid  on  it.  A  knife  is  now  used  (as  seen  in  the 
engraving)  to  cut  the  comb  to  the  proper  size  and  shape. 


MANAGEMKNT.  147 

equalities  that  exist  in  the  comb;  pkice  the  frame  in 
a  perpendicular  position,  put  the  comb  iu  it,  in  a 
position  similar  to  that  it  occupied  in  the  old  hive, 
bond  the  braces  down  on  both  sides  and  press  them 
gentlj  against  the  sides  of  the  combs;  now  place  it 
in  the  new  hive.  Proceed  in  the  same  manner  until 
all  the  combs  are  removed,  carefully  brushing  off 
into  the  new  hive  any  bees  that  may  adhere  to  the 
combs.  Be  careful  to  place  all  the  combs  containing 
either  eggs  or  brood  together,  side  by  side,  as  near 
the  centre  as  possible,  placing  the  store  combs  at  the 
sides.  "When  all  is  completed  put  in  the  sash,  take 
the  box  containing  the  bees,  brush  or  shake  them 
down  among  the  combs,  brush  them  gently  until 
all  are  below  the  tops  of  the  frames,  then  insert  the 
chamber  floor  or  honey-board  to  prevent  them  from 
ascending,  shut  down  the  lid  and  close  the  door, 
raise  the  slide  or  shutter  in  the  front  about  a  half 
inch,  place  the  hive  where  the  stragglers  will  be 
attracted  by  the  sound  of  those  in  their  new  home; 
in  the  morning  set  the  new  hive  where  fhe  colony 
originally  stood,  otherwise  many  bees  will  be  lost. 

We  prefer  to  transfer  at  night  in  a  shop  or  room 
of  mild  or  warm  temperature,  to  prevent  the  brood 
from  getting  chilled  during  the  operation ;  the  bees 
will  immediately  proceed  to  clean  up  the  dripping 
honey  and  fasten  the  combs,  and  by  morning  all 
smell  of  broken  combs  and  fresh  honey  will  be  re- 
moved, thereby  obviating  the  danger  of  inciting 
others  to  rob  them.  With  proper  care  they  can  be 
transferred  at  any  time  of  day.      Care  should  be 


148  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING, 

taken  in  transferring  when  there  is  a  limited  supply 
of  honey,  as  the  elaboration  of  wax  necessary  to 
fasten  the  combs,  causes  the  bees  to  consume  a 
much  larger  amount  of  honey  than  would  otherwise 
be  required,  hence  the  necessity  of  feeding  them 
under  such  circumstances. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ARTIFICIAL  SWARMS. 
TO   REAR   QUEENS   TO   SUPPY   ARTIFICIAL   SWARMS. 

It  is  a  well  attested  fact,  that  if  a  queen  is  removed 
from  a  colony  of  bees  when  they  are  in  possession  of 
eggs  recently  deposited  in  worker  cells,  or  if  they 
have  larva  not  more  than  three  or  fonr  days  old,  they 
will  proceed  to  rear  young  queens  as  soon  as  they 
discover  the  loss  of  their  old  one.  To  guard  against 
accident,  they  will  usually  rear  from  two  to  ten,  and 
occasionally  as  many  as  fifteen  or  twenty  young 
queens. 

The  queen  cells  are  usually  suspended  from  the 
edge  of  a  comb  or  some  projecting  point.  They  com- 
mence by  cutting  out  the  partitions  between  two  or 
three  worker  cells,  and  form  a  cup  similar  in  size 
and  shape  to  that  of  an  acorn  ;  in  this  they  deposit 
a  substance  similar  to  jelly,  at  first  of  a  light  or 
whitish  color,  but  afterward  turning  to  a  brown  or 
roddifth.     This  i^   called   roval  jellv.     On  this  thev 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS.  14^ 

deposit  a  worker  egg  or  young  larva,  and  continue 
to  increase  the  length  of  the  cell  until  it  is  about  an 
inch  long,  and  about  the  sixth  day  seal  it  up,  when 
it  resembles  a  pea  nut,  both  in  shape,  size  and  color. 
After  remaining  sealed  up  from  eight  to  twelve  days, 
or  from  fourteen  to  eighteen  days  from  the  removal 
of  the  old  queen  (the  time  is  varied  by  the  temper- 
ature of  the  weather ;  in  California  they  usually 
emerge  from  the  cell  about  the  fourteenth  day,  whilst 
in  Pennsylvania  about  the  sixteenth  or  eighteenth), 
the  first  one  to  come  forth  will  soon  find  her  way  to 
the  cells  containing  her  sister  queens  and  destroy 
them,  by  cutting  into  the  sides  of  the  cells  and  in- 
flicting a  death  wound  on  her  unsuspecting  sister,  by 
stinging  her. 

When  queens  are  wanted  to  supply  artificial  swarms 
or  queenless  colonies,  the  royal  cell  should  be  re- 
moved from  the  queen  nursery  three  or  four  days 
before  any  emerge,  and  placed  in  the  colony  where 
wanted.  Providing  queens  in  this  manner  renders 
the  propagation  of  bees  by  division  or  artificial 
swarms  easy,  and  the  result  certain. 

MAKING    ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS. 

In  the  spring,  when  stocks  have  become  strong 
and  a  few  drones  have  made  their  appearance,  there 
being  a  plentiful  supply  of  honey  abroad,  is  a  proper 
time  to  commence  dividing.  Three  plans  present 
themselves,  either  of  which  may  be  adopted  and 
practiced  successfully,  the  first  of  which  is  as  follows : 
A  few  days  before  you  wish  to  make  any  consider- 
13* 


150  BEEr^  AN'i>  uki:-ki:i:pixu. 

uble  nuuibcr  ol"  urtiticial  swarms,  divide  oue  of  your 
strong  colonies,  make  an  equal  division  of  bees, 
combs,  honey  and  brood ;  this  we  call  a  preliminary 
division.  Place  an  empty  frame  t>r  two  next  to  those 
containing  the  comb;  take  a  piece  of  clean  cloth 
(common  brown  sheeting  muslin  is  as  good  as  any), 
and  cut  or  tear  it  in  pieces  thirteen  inches  wide  by 
about  twenty-seven  long,  put  this  over  the  top  of  the 
frames,  and  suspend  it  over  or  down  outside  of  the 
empty  frame  until  it  reaches  the  bottom  board;  this 
preserves  the  heat,  which  is  very  essential,  and  con- 
denses the  space  to  correspond  with  the  size  of  the 
colony.  Care  should  be  taken  in  all  cases  to  put  the 
combs  containing  eggs  or  brood  together  in  the 
centre  of  the  colony,  to  prevent  its  getting  chilled. 
Let  the  bees  adhere  to  the  combs  just  as  they  are 
lifted  from  the  hive.  When  the  division  is  com- 
pleted, if  convenient,  close  up  one  of  the  new  colonies 
and  take  it  half  a  mile  or  a  mile  distant  to  a  neie-h- 
bor's  house,  or  some  suitable  place ;  by  so  doing,  all 
the  old  worker  bees  remain  in  each  colony,  just  as 
when  first  divided.  The  one  destitute  of  a  queen 
will  soon  set  to  work  to  rear  queens  to  supply  their 
loss,  as  has  been  described.  So  long  as  they  have  the 
means  of  supplying  themselves  with  a  queen,  they 
will  work  away,  apparently  as  contented  and  happy  as 
if  they  were  in  possession  of  one ;  but  during  the 
time  they  are  destitute  they  invariably  build  drone 
comb,  if  they  build  any. 

When  it  is  not  convenient  to  remove  one  of  the 
colonies  to  a  distance,  as  has  just  been  Btated,  shift 


(Page  150.) 


This  illustration  shows  the  mode  of  arranging  an  artificial  swarm. 
Figures  2,  3,  4,  are  frames  containing  both  stores,  brood  and  bees, 
just  removed  from  the  parent  stock.  An  empty  frame  is  seen  next 
to  figure  2 ;  over  this  the  cloth  is  spread.  L  is  the  honey  board. 
e  p  are  the  honey  boxes,  set  on  one  side  of  the  hive. 


(Page  151.) 


The  above  engraving  represents  a  parent  hive  from  which  an  arti- 
ficial hive  has  just  been  taken.  Figures  1.  5,  C,  7,  8,  0,  are  frames 
containing  stores,  brood,  bees,  &c.  that  remain  in  the  hive.  The 
spaces  should  be  filled  with  empty  frames. 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS.  151 

the  old  hive  sideways  iibout  the  width  of  itself,  and 
place  the  new  one  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  old 
stand,  so  that  each  will  occupy  about  the  same  rela- 
tive position  to  it.  If  you  have  observed  in  which 
hive  the  queen  was  put,  close  the  entrance  entirely 
to  prevent  those  from  the  other  hive  finding  her,  or 
most  of  the  old  workers  that  had  been  abroad  and 
had  their  course  established,  will  return  to  her, 
and  thus  endanger  the  success  of  the  other  col- 
ony. If  too  many  leave  it  and  return  to  the  one 
containing  the  queen,  the  brood  will  be  chilled  and 
destroyed ;  but  when  they  find  they  are  entirely  cut 
off  from  their  queen  mother  and  thrown  entirely  on 
their  own  resources,  they  set  to  work  to  construct 
queen  cells,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  time  they  Avill 
have  their  course  to  and  from  the  new  hive  as  well 
established  as  from  the  old  one.  When  it  can  be 
opened,  it  is  well  to  set  up  a  board  a  little  in  front 
and  between  the  hives,  for  a  few  days.  Great  care 
must  be  taken  at  all  times  to  ventilate  well,  when  a 
hive  is  closed  up. 

In  about  ten  or  twelve  days  after  the  division  is 
made,  open  the  hive  which  contains  the  young,  or 
or  rather  embryo  queens ;  lift  out  the  combs  careful- 
ly, commencing  at  one  side,  for  there  is  danger 
of  bruising  or  destroying  the  queen  cells,  which  fre- 
quently project  beyond  the  sides  of  the  comb;  take 
a  sharp,  thin-bladed  knife,  cut  out  a  small  piece  of 
comb,  say  an  inch  square,  from  which  the  queen 
cell  was  suspended,  replace  the  comb  again  in  the 
hive,   and    proceed    immediately  to    divide   another 


152  BEKS    AND    BKE-KEEPINC. 

colony  in  the  manner  just  described  for  making  a 
preliminary  division,  being  careful  to  observe  in 
which  hive  the  queen  is  placed.  Now  take  the  queen 
cell  or  embryo  queen,  cut  a  square  hole  in  a  central 
position  in  one  of  the  combs,  to  correspond  in  size 
with  the  square  piece  to  which  the  queen  cell  is 
attached,  and  insert  it  gently,  being  careful  not  to 
press  or  bruise  it ;  press  the  wax  of  the  surrounding 
comb  down  at  the  edges,  to  prevent  it  from  falling 
out.  The  bees  will  soon  fasten  it  permanently. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  place  the  embryo  queen  in 
a  position  similar  to  that  in  which  it  was  built ;  place 
the  comb  in  the  centre  of  the  colony,  close  it  up, 
covering  the  frames  with  a  cloth,  as  has  been  di- 
rected. Either  remove  the  new  colony  a  half  mile 
or  more  distant,  or  place  it  at  one  side  of  the  old 
stand,  as  recommended  in  the  preliminary  division. 
Great  care  is  necessary  to  prevent  the  embryo 
queen  from  getting  chilled  during  the  process ;  she 
should  not  be  exposed  to  a  temperature  below  70 
degrees,  and  that  for  a  short  time  only. 

An  expert  apiarian  will  perform  all  this  operation 
in  a  very  few  minutes.  "When  one  division  is  thus 
completed,  proceed  as  before,  taking  out  another 
embryo  queen  and  make  another  division,  and  still 
another,  until  all  the  embryo  queens  have  been  used 
except  one,  which  it  is  necessary  to  leave  to  supply 
the  colony,  which  we  may  with  great  propriety  call 
a  queen  nursery.  We  will  suppose  this  colony  reared 
I  six  queen  cells,  five  are  removed  and  used  to  supply 
as  many  new  colonies  and  one  left ;    thus  six  new 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS.  153 

colonies  are  made,  with  a  fair  prospect  of  having  fer- 
tile queens  in  from  twenty  to  twenty-six  days  from 
the  date  of  the  first  division.  The  time  should  be 
noted  carefully,  and  if  at  the  end  of  twentj^-two  to 
twenty-five  days  no  eggs  are  found  in  the  cells,  the 
presumption  is  that  some  accident  has  happened  the 
queen.  Now  open  a  hive  which  you  know  has  a  fer- 
tile queen,  take  out  a  comb  containing  brood  just 
emerging  from  the  cells,  and  also  having  some  eggs 
or  young  larva ;  the  young  bees  will  serve  to  strength- 
en up  the  colony,  and  the  eggs  Avill  enable  them 
to  rear  a  queen  in  case  the  previous  one  is  lost. 
All  new  colonies  should  be  carefully  examined  every 
few  da3'S,  until  they  have  a  fertile  queen ;  this  is 
known  by  the  eggs  found  in  the  combs.  In  making 
divisions,  empty  frames  should  be  put  in  the  hive 
from  time  to  time,  as  the  building  of  combs  pro- 
gresses, until  the  hives  are  full. 

ANOTHER    METHOD    OF    MAKING    ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS. 

When  stocks  of  bees  are  not  so  strong  and  vigor- 
ous as  to  be  divided  in  equal  parts  in  the  manner 
before  described,  and  the  apiarian  is  still  desirous  to 
increase  his  stocks  without  reducing  any  one  to  a 
weak  condition,  it  may  be  done  very  safely  in  the 
following  manner :  Have  a  supply  of  embryo 
queens,  as  already  described;  have  your  hive  in 
readiness ;  take  one  or  two  frames  of  comb  from 
each  hive  containing  a  proportion  of  honey,  pollen, 
brood,  &c.  examining  each  comb  very  carefully  lest 
the  queen  should  bo  removed.     In  this  way  a  new 


154  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

colony  is  made  up  from  two  or  three  old  ones. 
Remove  the  bees  that  adhere  to  the  combs,  place  an 
embryo  queen  or  royal  cell  in  one  of  the  combs. 
Combs  containing  brood  should  in  all  cases  be 
placed  as  near  the  centre  as  possible ;  blow  a  little 
smoke  among  the  bees,  close  up  the  hive,  covering 
the  frames  and  bees  as  before  described  with  a  cloth, 
and  remove  them  to  a  distance,  if  possible ;  if  the 
older  workers  return  to  their  respective  hives  to  any 
great  extent,  few  will  be  left  to  carry  on  the  affairs 
of  the  new  colony,  and  sometimes  they  will  almost 
cease  to  work  for  three  or  four  days,  until  the  num- 
l)er  is  increased  by  those  emerging  from  the  cells,  or 
by  taking  bees  from  some  other  hive  to  strengthen 
it.  To  remove  new  colonies  of  this  kind  to  the  dis- 
tance of  a  mile,  is  the  most  certain  and  least  trouble. 
Let  them  remain  until  the  queen  becomes  fertile, 
when  thc}^  can  be  returned  to  the  apiary.  Bees  unite 
very  easily  at  the  season  of  the  year  proper  for 
making  swarms. 

I  would  again  caution  bee-keepers,  who  make  new 
colonies  from  two  or  more  hives,  to  examine  each 
comb  with  the  greatest  care,  scrutinizing  every  beo 
closely  to  see  that  the  old  queen  is  left  in  her  own 
hive.  By  careless  handling,  the  queen  might  be 
removed  from  each  of  the  old  hives  and  placed  to- 
gether in  the  new  one,  which  would  be  a  serious  loss. 
It  is  necessary  in  making  artificial  swarms,  to 
secure  enough  mature  worker  bees  to  protect  the 
brood  from  the  cold,  and  attend  to  all  the  domestic 
affairs  of  the  colony. 


ARTIFICIAL   SWARMS.  155 

STILL   ANOTHER   PLAN    OF   DIVIDING    AND   MAKING 
NEW    COLONIES. 

Form  a  nucleus,  or,  in  plain  English,  a  small  cluster, 
and  when  their  queen  has  become  fertile  increase 
them  from  a  very  small  to  a  very  strong  colony  by 
the  following  process,  which  we  have  found  to  be 
very  successful,  and  recommend  to  the  favorable  con- 
sideration of  all  bee-keepers  who  wish  to  increase 
their  stocks  by  division  of  artificial  swarms. 

Have  young  queens  or  embryo  queens  ready  in  a 
queen  nursery,  as  directed  on  another  page.  Select 
a  strong  colony  that  is  breeding  rapidly,  having 
brood  eo  far  advanced  as  to  be  emerging  daily  from 
their  cells.  Spread  a  sheet  on  the  ground  close  by 
the  hive  you  wish  to  operate  upon ;  have  new  hives, 
frames,  &c.  in  readiness;  when  the  hive  is  opened 
blow  a  little  smoke  among  the  bees,  lift  out  one  frame 
after  another,  which  contain  the  combs,  shake  them 
down  on  the  cloth  by  a  quick,  perpendicular  motion, 
or  what  is  safer,  perhaps,  for  a  new  beginner,  brush 
them  off  with  the  feather  side  of  a  goose  quill  or 
other  soft  brush,  being  careful  at  all  times  to  hold 
the  comb  in  a  perpendicular  position,  otherwise  the 
weight  of  the  comb  may  loosen  the  fastenings  and 
let  it  fall  to  the  ground. 

When  the  bees  have  been  thus  dislodged  from  the 
combs,  select  those  well  stored  with  young  brood  in 
an  advanced  stage,  which  are  about  to  emerge  from 
their  cells;  they  can  be  distinguished  by  the  brown 
appearance  of  the  caps  or  the  sealing  which  incloses 
them  in  the  cells.     It  will  be  safe  to  remove  from 


156  BElilS   AND    BEE-KEEHNG. 

two  to  four  combs  from  one  hive,  provided  it  is 
strong,  and  a  fair  proportion  of  brood-combs  are  left 
in  the  old  hive,  which  should  now  be  replaced,  the 
vacancies  filled  with  empty  frames,  or  what  is  better^ 
with  frames  containing  empty  combs,  if  they  can  be 
obtained ;  close  it  up  as  usual.  Take  the  combs 
selected  to  form  the  nucleus,  and  having  a  royal  cell 
or  embryo  queen  at  hand,  fit  it  into  one  of  the  brood- 
combs,  as  has  been  directed,  and  place  it  in  a  central 
position  in  the  colony,  to  insure  its  hai-ing  heat 
sufficient  to  fully  develope  it.  For  a  bee-keeper  hav- 
ing but  little  experience,  it  is  best  to  put  two  frames 
together  to  form  the  nucleus ;  place  them  at  one  side 
of  the  hive,  take  an  empty  frame  with  cloth  tacked  on 
it  and  set  it  in  the  space  next  to  the  outside  brood- 
comb,  or  in  an  empty  frame,  and  cover  the  side  and 
top  by  suspending  a  cloth  from  the  top,  so  as  to 
inclose  the  nucleus  in  a  small  space,  and  retain  their 
heat  as  before  directed. 

Whilst  performing  this  operation,  the  bees  that 
were  shaken  on  the  cloth  will,  to  some  extent,  sepa- 
rate, most  of  the  older  ones  taking  wing  and  returning 
to  the  old  hive,  which  should  remain  on  the  stand  all 
the  while.  A  majority  of  the  younger  bees  will 
cluster  on  the  sheet,  where  the  queen*is  most  likely 
to  be  found.  A  careful  examination  should  be  made 
for  her ;  when  found,  she  should  be  carefully  returned 
to  her  old  home.  Put  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the 
bees  into  each  hive  (if  more  than  one  nucleus  has  been 
made),  to  cover  and  protect  the  brood-combs,  either 
by  placing  them  at  the  entrance  of  the  new  hive 


ARTIFICIAL   SWARMS.  157 

and  brushing  them  gently  until  they  entei')  which  they 
will  do  readily,  or  you  can  shake  them  directly  on 
the  combs  from  the  top ;  brush  them  gently  until  all 
have  descended  and  clustered  among  the  combs,  then 
cover  with  a  cloth  or  honey-board. 

Enough  combs  and  bees  may  be  obtained  from  one 
strong,  vigorous  colony,  to  make  two  good  nuclei, 
and  leave  sufficient  to  keep  it  in  fair  condition  ;  but 
should  there  not  be  enough  bees  to  supply  the  nuclei, 
they  can  be  taken  from  some  other  hive  in  a  similar 
manner.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  uniting  bees  from 
diffi3rent  hives  to  form  nuclei,  at  this  season  of  the 
year. 

The  new  colon}-,  or  nucleus,  may  now  be  set  at  any 
desired  place  in  the  apiary.  The  entrance  to  the  hive 
should  be  partially  closed  to  admit  of  but  two  or 
three  bees  passing  at  a  time  ;  this  will  exclude  the 
cool  air,  and  guard  against  robbers. 

In  making  colonies  by  this  method,  nearly  all  the 
bees  that  have  been  abroad  and  had  their  course 
established,  will  return  to  the  old  hive,  very  few  re- 
maining for  the  nucleus,  except  those  that  are  quite 
young;  consequently  they  will  work  but  very  little, 
if  at  all,  for  a  few  days.  It  is  well,  during  this  time, 
to  look  in  quietly  and  see  if  they  are  properly  clus- 
tered on  the  brood-combs.  Should  many  leave  and 
not  enough  remain  to  keep  the  brood  warm,  replenish 
it  from  some  strong  hive,  as  at  first.  Should  there 
be  more  bees  in  the  nucleus  than  are  necessary  to 
cover  the  two  combs,  others  should  be  added,  as 
follows :  select  a  hive  that  has  a  fertile  queen  and 
14 


168  BEES  AND  BEE-KEEPING. 

well  filled  with  combs,  take  out  one  or  two  combs 
containing  eggs  and  unsealed  brood  or  larva,  replacing 
them  with  empty  frames;  place  these  combs  in  the 
nucleus,  first  removing  the  frame  covered  with  cloth, 
as  before  directed,  and  place  it  in  the  space  next  to 
the  comb.  This  should  only  be  done  when  there  are 
enough  bees  in  the  nucleus  to  cherish  and  mature  the 
brood.  They  frequently  become  quite  strong  within 
a  few  days  after  being  formed,  by  a  large  amount  of 
young  bees  maturing  and  emerging  from  the  combs. 
If  the  embryo  queen  first  given  to  the  nucleus  when 
formed,  should  fail,  they  will  have  a  fresh  supply  of 
eggs  from  which  to  rear  another. 

When  artificial  swarms,  or  nuclei,  are  made  in  any 
manner,  care  should  always  be  taken  to  have  a  fair 
supply  of  honey  and  bee-bread,  or  pollen,  in  each 
one ;  without  it,  they  Avill  certainly  fail  to  meet  the 
expectations  of  the  apiarian. 

HOW   TO   STRENGTHEN   ARTIFICIAL   SWARMS. 

When  the  brood  has  emerged  from  any  one  comb 
in  the  nucleus,  or  artificial  swarm,  or  any  hive  destitute 
of  a  fertile  queen,  take  it  out,  carefully  brushing  off 
all  the  bees  into  the  hive ;  open  a  hive  that  has  a 
fertile  queen,  take  out  one  or  more  combs  containing 
brood  and  eggs,  brushing  off  all  the  bees  into  their 
own  hive.  Exchange  the  combs,  putting  those  con- 
taining eggs  and  brood  into  the  young  colony,  which 
will  augment  their  numbers  rapidly,  by  the  young 
bees  emerging  soon  after  the  exchange  of  combs; 
thus  a  colony  from  being  very  small  and  weak,  can 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS.  159 

soon  be  made  strong  and  powerful.  Put  the  empty 
combs  taken  from  the  artificial  swarm  into  the  hive, 
in  exchange  for  those  taken  out  that  were  full  of 
eggs  and  brood;  the  queen  will  immediately  com- 
mence depositing  eggs  in  these  combs,  and  in  a  few 
days  they  will  again  be  full  of  brood.  In  this  way 
I  worked  many  of  my  queens  the  past  season  to  their 
full  capacity  of  laying  eggs,  which  is  truly  astonish- 
ing during  the  time  when  honey  is  abundant,  or 
when  receiving  a  bountiful  supply  of  feed,  which 
stimulates  her  to  greater  activity  in  the  performance 
of  her  maternal  duties. 

This  plan  of  changing  combs  is  decidedly  safer 
and  much  better  than  Mr.  Langstroth'a  mode  of 
changing  the  fertile  queen  from  hive  to  hive,  as  it  is 
well  known  that  if  a  strange  queen  is  placed  in  a 
colony,  although  they  may  have  been  destitute  for 
some  time,  they  are  apt  to  fall  on  her  and  kill  her, 
unless  she  is  first  put  into  a  queen  cage  and  kept  in 
the  hive  for  some  hours,  until  she  has  obtained  the 
same  scent,  before  releasing  her,  when  they  will  gen- 
erally receive  her.  This  process  is  attended  with 
much  trouble  and  loss  of  valuable  time,  as  well  as 
uncertainty  and  even  danger  of  losing  the  queen. 

When  a  nucleus  comprises  four  or  five  full  sized 
combs,  well  stored  with  brood,  and  a  proportion  of 
honey  and  pollen  well  covered  with  bees,  having  a 
fertile  queen,  they  require  but  little  further  attention, 
except  to  remove  the  frame  covered  with  cloth  and 
give  them  one  or  two  empty  frames  at  a  time. 
When  these  are  partially  supplied  with  combs,  add 


160  BEES    AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

others  until  the  hive  is  full ;  they  will  soon  be  filled 
with  combs  and  honey,  unless  the  yield  of  honey 
should  fail. 

It  would  be  well  to  remark,  before  leaving  this 
subject,  that  the  only  proper  time  for  making  artifi- 
cial swarms,  by  any  of  the  plans  described,  is  when 
they  are  breeding  rapidly  and  storing  honey  plenti- 
fully, the  weather  being  warm  and  pleasant.  Should 
the  hone}'^  season  fail,  however,  before  the  hives  are 
all  filled,  which  frequently  occurs  in  some  localities, 
it  will  pay  a  good  interest  on  the  cost  of  getting 
sugar  to  feed  them  with.  From  a  gill  to  a  pint  of 
syrup  per  day  to  the  colony,  will  keep  them  build- 
ing comb,  rearing  brood,  gathering  pollen,  &c.  It 
is  a  singular  fact,  that  bees  will  gather  little  if  any 
pollen  when  no  honey  can  be  obtained  abroad,  al- 
though a  good  supply  may  be  in  the  hive  at  the  same 
time.  As  an  evidence  of  this,  give  a  strong  colony 
a  few  combs  of  honey,  or  a  dish  of  syrup,  in  the 
afternoon  of  a  clear,  warm  day,  say  about  three 
o'clock,  when  they  have  ceased  to  carry  in  either 
honey  or  pollen,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  they 
will  commence  to  carry  pollen  very  rapidly,  showing 
that  it  can  be  obtained  after  the  supply  of  honey  for 
the  day  is  exhausted. 

A   PLAN    TO   PREVENT   BEES    LEAVING    THE    NEW    COLONY 
AND    RETURNING    TO    THE    OLD    ONE. 

When  a  new  colony  is  made  in  either  way  de- 
scribed, close  the  hive  to  prevent  any  bees  from 
escaping,   being  careful    to  ventilate    properly,   lest 

c 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMS.  Itjl 

they  smother;  take  them  to  a  dry  cellar,  or  some 
cool  out-house,  let  them  stand  quietly  for  from 
twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours,  when  they  can  be 
taken  and  set  on  the  stand  you  wish  them  to  occup3% 
Open  them  invariably  in  the  evening,  a  few  minutes 
before  sunset,  when  but  few  bees  are  flying  in  the 
apiarj-,  when  they  will  rush  out  of  the  hive  ;  finding 
themselves  in  a  new  place,  they  will  take  their 
reckoning,  noting  carefully  the  objects  surrounding 
their  new  habitation,  and  settle  down  quietly  and  go 
to  work,  very  few  returning  to  the  old  stand.  This 
plan  is  convenient,  easily  understood,  and  I  have 
found  it  to  succeed  very  well ;  yet  in  making  artificial 
colonies,  in  all  cases  and  under  all  circumstances, 
the  older  workers,  that  have  their  course  to  the 
parent  stand  well  established,  are  likely  to  return ; 
and  should  there  not  be  enough  younger  bees  to  con- 
tinue the  operations  of  the  new  colony  it  would  be  a 
failure ;  hence  the  necessity  of  looking  in  upon  them 
every  day,  disturbing  them  as  little  as  possible.  If 
there  are  not  bees  enough  to  cover  the  brood,  open  a 
strong  hive,  take  out  one  or  more  combs,  after  ex- 
amining carefully  that  the  queen  is  not  on  them, 
brush  the  bees  into  the  deserted  colony  until  you 
have  enough  to  cover  the  combs,  returning  the 
combs  from  which  you  have  brushed  them  to  their 
own  hive;  close  up  the  new  colon}',  and  remove  it 
away  a  mile  or  so.     This  will  make  a  sure  thing  of  it. 


14* 


162  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

CHAPTER    XII. 

FEEDING. 
HOW   TO    FEED    BEES. 

In  thickly  settled  localities,  where  bee-keepers 
reside  near  each  other,  it  is  necessary  to  feed  in  the 
chamber  or  upper  part  of  the  hive,  in  small  pans  or 
feed  boxes.  Get  tin  pans  made,  about  6  in.  wide 
by  10  in  length,  sides  1^  in.  high,  perpendicular; 
if  you  have  pieces  of  refuse  comb,  put  enough  in 
to  cover  the  bottom  of  the  pan,  to  serve  as  a  float, 
keeping  on  the  top  of  the  syrup ;  this  will  prevent 
the  bees  from  getting  mired  or  drowned  in  the 
tempting  liquid. 

When  dry  comb  cannot  be  obtained  for  this  pur- 
pose, take  a  piece  of  any  soft  wood,  about  f  in.  thick, 
cut  it  to  fit  into  the  pan,  leaving  a  space  around  the 
edges  of  about  ^  in.;  tack  a  strip  across  the  centre 
of  this  board  |  in.  wide  and  f  in.  thick,  this  will 
keep  it  from  capping  or  warping;  slit  it  from  each 
end  with  a  rip  saw,  leaving  spaces  between  the  saw 
carps  of  J  in.  extending  to  the  strip  nailed  across 
the  centre.  This  answers  a  good  purpose  as  a  float, 
and  is  cheap  and  easily  made. 

When  your  pans  are  thus  prepared  with  floats,  set 
them  in  the  chamber,  either  directly  on  top  of  the 
frames,  or  what  perhaps  is  better,  place  the  honey- 
board  in  its  proper  place,  leaving  free  access  to  the 
chamber  through  the  openings ;  set  the  pan  near  one 


FEEDING.  163 

side,  the  end  near  the  front,  leaving  a  space  between 
the  sides  of  the  pan  and  hive  of  abont  f  inch,  whicli 
will  give  the  bees  free  access  to  the  feed.  Care 
must  always  be  taken  to  keep  the  float  loose,  so  as  to 
rise  to  the  surface  of  the  syrup  ;  sometimes  when  the 
syrup  is  exhausted  the  bees  stick  it  (the  float)  last. 
The  most  convenient  vessel  to  use  in  the  apiary  for 
holding  syrup  for  feeding,  is  a  can  made  in  the  form 
of  a  watering  pot,  with  a  long  spout,  minus  the 
strainer;  the  size  of  this  can  be  regulated  by  the 
number  of  bees  to  be  fed.  When  feeding  in  this 
manner,  if  the  bees  are  troublesome  on  opening  the 
door,  a  little  smoke  should  be  blown  amongst  them, 
which  will  drive  them  back,  when  you  can  proceed 
to  pour  in  the  syrup,  and  again  close  up  the  hive. 
No  fear  need  be  apprehended  of  robbers  from  feed- 
ing in  this  manner.  All  well  organized  colonies,  if 
fed  with  regularity,  will  effectually  guard  their  hive 
from  the  encroachments  of  their  marauding  neigh- 
bors ;  it  imparts  to  them  an  astonishing  degree  of 
vigor  and  activity. 

In  localities  where  few  bees  are  kept,  and  the 
space  of  a  mile  or  more  intervenes  between  apiaries, 
the  best  mode  of  feeding  is  in  large  feed  boxes ; 
this,  however,  should  be  varied  to  suit  the  number 
of  colonies  to  be  fed.  For  an  apiary  of  ten  colonies, 
a  box  4  ft.  long,  1  ft.  wide,  and  sides  3  in.  high,  or  2 
in.  deep  inside.  Get  out  stuff  for  box  as  follows: 
bottom,  1  ft.  wide,  4  ft.  long,  cut  square  and  joint  up 
singly;  side  pieces,  4  ft.  long,  3  in.  wide;  ends,  14 
in.  long,  3  in.  wide  ;  these  should  be  planed  up  to 


164  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

make  good  joists.  Nail  firmly  together;  take  some 
melted  beeswax  and  rosin,  give  it  a  good  coating 
inside,  being  careful  to  run  all  the  joists  full ;  which 
will  prevent  it  from  leaking,  and  emits  no  unpleasant 
odor  or  taste  to  the  syrup.  This  should  be  supplied 
with  a  float  similar  to  the  one  described  for  using  in 
the  pans,  only  in  size  it  should  correspond  with  the 
box.  The  box  should  be  set  on  blocks  or  stools,  a 
few  rods  from  the  apiary,  and  covered  to  protect  it 
from  hot  sun  and  rain,  but  open  all  around,  so  the 
bees  can  have  free  access  to  it  from  every  side.  The 
syrup  can  be  poured  into  this  daily,  as  required. 

The  only  safe  and  proper  manner  of  feeding  bees, 
is  to  commence  when  there  is  but  little  honey  abroad. 
Feed  but  little  at  first,  increasing  daily  until  you 
have  reached  the  amount  you  wish  to  feed  per  day, 
then  continue  to  feed  with  the  same  certainty  and 
regularity  that  you  observe  in  taking  your  meals. 
Always  feed  at  the  same  hour  of  the  day,  if  possible, 
and  continue  to  do  so  until  you  find  there  is  a  supply 
of  honey  in  the  flowers  abroad,  when  the  feed 
should  be  slacked  oft*  by  degrees,  and  finally  stopped. 

THE    IMrORTANOE    OF   FEEDING    BEES    CONSIDERED. 

Very  few  even  of  our  most  skillful  apiarians  seem 
to  be  aware  of  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
judicious  feeding,  when  the  weather  is  warm  and 
favorable  for  bees  to  build  comb  and  rear  brood.  I 
apprehend  that  few  have  fairly  tested  it,  hence,  some 
of  our  best  writers  rather  discourage  bee-keepers 
from  feeding  to  any  great  extent. 


FEEDING.  165 

I  differ  from  all  apiarians  who  entertain  such 
views,  and  am  bold  to  affirm,  that  feeding  in  a 
proper  manner,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  (and 
this  varies  in  different  localities),  is  the  key  to  suc- 
cessful and  profitable  bee-keeping  in  all  sections  of 
the  country,  except  where  there  is  a  continued  suc- 
cession and  an  abundant  supply  of  honey-producing 
flowers  from  early  spring  until  frosts  come  in  the 
autumn.  In  making  this  statement,  I  do  not  confine 
myself  entirely  to  the  mode  of  feeding  just  des- 
cribed, but  would  feed  by  cultivating  large  quantities 
of  grain,  plants  or  vegetables,  to  bloom  at  a  time 
when  little,  if  any,  honey  is  accessible  to  the  bees. 
This  can  be  done  very  readily  and  profitably.  The 
matter  is  discussed  at  length  under  the  head  of  bee- 
pasturage,  Chap.  IX. 

I  do  not  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  I  am  in 
favor  of  feeding  bees  with  syrup,  or  even  an  inferior 
article  of  honey,  in  such  large  quantities  as  to  cause 
them  to  store  it  in  the  honey  boxes  as  spare  honey 
for  market;  this  course  would  be  simply  perpetrating 
a  fraud  on  the  purchaser,  as  it  is  well  known  that 
bees  merely  gather  honey  and  store  it  without  in  any 
wa}^  changing  its  qualitiy  ;  whatever  substance  is  fed, 
remains  the  same,  although  it  may  be  stored  in  the 
very  whitest  waxen  cells.  My  plan  is  to  feed  them 
from  the  close  of  honey  gathering  from  the  fruit  tree 
flowers  (which  in  this  latitude,  42  degrees  North, 
occurs  from  the  tenth  to  the  twentieth  of  May), 
until  the  white  clover  comes  in  bloom,  which  is 
generally  about  the  tenth  of  June;  in  proportion  to 


16f  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

the  quantity  of  comb  (if  any)  necessary  to  fill  up  the 
hive,  and  the  amount  of  brood  they  are  rearing.  In 
this  matter  they  are  governed  by  the  quantity  of 
lioney  or  feed  they  get ;  if  but  little,  but  few  young 
bees  are  raised,  and  no  comb  built,  even  if  the  hive 
is  not  full ;  and  when  the  clover  blooms,  which  in  a 
very  large  extent  of  country  constitutes  the  great 
honey  harvest,  they  are  not  much  stronger  or  in  but 
little  better  condition  than  at  the  close  of  the  fruit 
tree  flowers,  although  this  period  is  the  most  im- 
portant of  any  during  the  season,  as  regards  the  in- 
crease of  colonies  either  by  nature  or  artificial 
swarms,  or  the  amount  of  surplus  honey  obtained. 

By  feeding  as  directed,  it  stimulates  them  to  rear 
an  increased  amount  of  brood,  and  fill  all  vacancies 
with  comb.  AYhen  the  clover  blooms  they  are  ready 
to  make  the  best  of  it,  having  the  strongest  possible 
force  at  a  time  when  their  labors  are  the  most 
eflicient  and  profitable,  the  combs  being  well  stored 
with  brood  advancing  to  maturity,  which  will  be  cast 
oflT  by  natural  swarming,  or  may  be  used  for  making 
artificial  swarms.  The  combs  not  occupied  with 
brood  are  likely  to  be  well  stored  with  honey  and 
pollen.  In  short,  by  judicious  feeding  early  in  the 
season,  all  the  stocks  in  the  apiary  may  be  in  as 
prosperous  and  vigorous  a  condition  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  clover  season  as  they  usually  are  at  its 
close. 

I  apprehend  there  are  but  few  observing  apiarians 
but  will  admit,  if  this  can  be  accomplished,  the  profits 
of  the  year  would  be  greatly  increased.     Some  one, 


fEEDlNG.  16'T 

perhaps,  is  ready  to  ask,  Won't  it  cost  more  tlian  it 
comes  to  ?  I  answer  this  objection  by  asking,  Is  a 
prime  article  of  clover  honey  not  more  valuable  than 
either  West  India  honey  or  refined  sugar  ?  It  requires 
a  certain  amount  of  honey  or  saccharine  matter  for  the 
consumption  of  the  bees  in  the  varied  manipulations 
necessary  to  advance  the  colony  to  the  desirable  condi- 
tion previously  referred  to  ;  hence,  is  it  not  better  and 
more  profitable  to  supply  them  with  a  cheaper  article 
at  the  time  indicated  (which  will  serve  their  purpose 
quite  as  well  as  clover  honey,  as  we  have  fully  at- 
tested), which  is  simply  exchanging  a  cheap  for  a 
dear  article  of  honey,  besides  saving  much  valuable 
time,  thereby  securing  an  increase  of  colonies  and  a 
greater  yield  of  the  best  quality  of  surplus  honey. 

All  writers  on  bees  agree  upon  this  one  point,  that 
to  be  successful  you  must  keep  all  your  colonies 
strong;  but  they  fail  to  give  us  satisfactory  directions 
how  to  do  this.  I  have  experimented  to  find  the 
solution  of  this  enigma,  and  have  succeeded  to  my 
own  satisfaction,  at  least.  It  may  be  stated  in  few 
words :  Feed  judiciously,  and  you  can  not  only  keep 
your  stocks  strong,  but  if  you  have  any  weak  colonies 
you  can  also  make  them  strong. 

Mr.  Langstroth  says  (3d  edition,  p.  177):  "Bee- 
keeping, with  colonies  which  are  feeble  in  the  spring, 
except  in  extraordinary  seasons  and  localities,  is 
emphatically  nothing  but  folly  and  vexation  of  spirit," 
&c.  I  admit  the  truth  of  this,  if  left  to  themselves. 
But  suppose  we  take  just  such  a  colony  as  he  con- 
templates in  this  extract ;  we  will  imagine  it  has  a 


168  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEMJJd.        ^ 

fertile  queen,  a  small  colony  of  workers,  with  a 
limited  amount  of  comb  and  honey  to  commence 
with.  The  first  of  May,  begin  to  feed  it  with  four 
cents  worth  of  refined  sugar  (in  the  form  of  a  nice 
syrup,)  per  day,  for  a  period  of  forty  days,  or  until 
clover  is  fairly  in  bloom,  say  the  tenth  of  June.  This 
will  cost  one  dollar  and  sixty  cents,  which  will  insure 
their  filling  up  the  hive  during  the  clover  season) 
and  perhaps  make  enougli  surplus  honey  during  the 
buckwheat  season  to  repay  the  cost  of  feeding,  and 
leave  the  stock  in  good  condition  to  live  during  the 
succeeding  winter.  Where  stocks  are  strong  and 
have  a  large  quantity  of  honey,  in  the  spring,  take 
out  one  or  more  combs  which  contain  only  honey  and 
pollen,  and  either  give  to  those  that  are  scarce  or  set 
by  in  a  box,  or  in  the  honey  room,  until  wanted 
when  making  artificial  swarms,  when  they  can  be 
used  to  great  advantage.  They  should  be  replaced 
immediatel}'  with  empty  frames.  Should  the  weather 
be  mild,  the  remaining  combs  may  be  shifted  to  put 
an  empty  frame  in  a  central  position,  where,  if  they 
are  fed  properly,  they  will  build  a  new  comb  in  a 
very  short  time,  the  queen  depositing  eggs  in  the 
cells  very  soon  after  they  are  formed. 

We  have  often  had  a  new  comb  built  in  this  way, 
full  of  brood  from  top  to  bottom,  containing  almost 
enough  to  make  a  fair  sized  swarm,  in  eight  or  ten 
days;  in  this  manner  all  the  difiicultics,  if  any  exist, 
of  a  colony  having  too  much  honey  in  the  spring, 
can  be  easily  and  very  profitably  removed  in  our 
hives. 


FEEDING.  169 

An  interval  occurs  in  many  places  between  the 
clover  season,  which  with  us  ends  about  the  tenth  of 
J  Lily,  until  the  buckwheat  comes  in  bloom,  a  period 
of  about  a  month,  during  which  there  is  a  very  lim- 
ited supply  of  honey-producing  flowers,  consequently 
the  bees  make  but  little  progress,  although  it  is 
the  best  mouth  in  the  year  for  gathering  honey  or 
tilling  up  young  swafms.  Tliey  should  be  fed  during 
this  period,  either  with  sugar  or  by  artificial  pas- 
turage. 

KIND    Oi'    i'KKD    USED. 

When  Cuba  or  Southern  honey  can  be  obtained 
at  moderate  prices,  without  being  adulterated,  it 
serves  a  very  good  purpose  for  feeding ;  but  we  pre- 
fer white  sugar,  or  refined  yellow  cofl:ee  sugar,  either 
of  which  is  to  a  considerable  extent  free  from  acid ; 
therefore  no  danger  need  be  apprehended  of  it  sour- 
ing or  fermenting,  even  if  considerable  quantities 
should  be  stored.  Where  large  quantities  are  wanted, 
it  can  be  bought  at  prices  ranging  from  eight  to 
twelve  cents  per  pound.  Dissolve  this  sugar  in  soft 
water;  there  is  no  necessity  for  boiling  it,  if  the 
sugar  has  been  properly  refined ;  make  it  about  the 
consistency  of  thin  honey,  so  that  by  dipping  the 
finger  in,  it  will  drop  clear  without  roping.  This 
should  be  prepared  in  quantities  to  correspond  wnth 
the  number  of  stocks  to  be  fed.  In  a  large  apiary, 
it  should  be  prepared  by  the  barrel  for  convenience, 
and  kept  closely  covered  to  prevent  the  bees  from 
getting  in  and  being  drowned,  which  they  will  do  if 
access  can  be  had  to  it.  In  preparing  this  syrup,  it 
15 


170  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

ebould  be  stirred  until  the  sugar  is  thoroughly  dis- 
solved, -when  it  is  ready  to  feed  in  the  pans  or  boxes, 
as  has  been  directed  on  another  page.  Some  colonies 
are  slow  to  lind  their  way  to  it ;  by  dropping  a  little 
on  or  among  the  bees,  and  extending  a  train  to  the 
pan,  will  give  them  a  clew  to  it,  which  they  are  not 
slow  to  follow.  When  feeding  in  a  box  some  dis- 
tance from  the  apiary,  it  is  some  times  necessary  to 
expose  a  little  hone}'^,  which  will  attract  them,  it 
having  a  greater  scent  than  the  syrup ;  when  they 
have  once  found  the  way  there  is  no  further  trouble. 
Feed  them  their  allowance  regularly  every  day,  until 
there  is  a  good  supply  of  honey  abroad,  when  the 
quantity  should  be  reduced  daily  and  finally  discon- 
tinued, to  be  resumed  again  when  the  honey  season 
fails.  Feeding  should  cease  entirely  b}'^  the  fifteenth 
of  October.  If  bees  have  been  properly  cared  for  thus 
far,  all  stocks  will  be  strong  and  vigorous,  with  plenty 
of  honey  for  the  coming  winter. 

The  great  importance  of  feeding  bees  has  been 
noticed  by  several  authors,  but  it  seems  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  feeding  largely  in  the 
manner  and  for  the  purposes  for  which  we  recom- 
mend it,  have  been  entirely  overlooked.  We  find 
most  writers  on  this  subject  suggest  the  feeding 
of  weak  swarms  in  the  fall,  the  general  result  of 
which  is  only  to  prolong  their  existence  a  little  time, 
as  they  are  very  apt  to  die  before  spring.  If  the 
embryo  queens  have  been  removed  soon  after  the 
first  swarm  issued,  as  has  been  directed,  thereby  pre- 
venting  any  after-swarms,  the   stocks  having  been 


TEEDING.  171 

properly  fed  during  the  interval  in  the  honey  harvest, 
there  is  no  necessity  of  having  feeble  stocks  in  the 
foil  from  those  permitted  to  swarm  in  the  natural 
wav ;  and  when  propagated  by  artificial  swarms,  if 
the  directions  given  under  the  head  of  "how  to 
strengthen  artificial  swarms"  are  followed,  there 
should  be  no  weak  colonies  from  this  source,  either; 
hence,  there  is  but  little  necessity  for  feeding  late  in 
the  fall,  but  early  in  the  spring  and  during  every 
interval  in  the  honey  harvest  throughout  the  entire 
season,  until  nature  ceases  to  produce  flowers,  keep- 
ing them  constantly  advancing  and  improving,  until 
the  change  of  the  season  admonishes  them  to  cease 
rearing  brood  and  prepare  for  winter.  As  the  stock 
raiser  keeps  his  stock  thriving  and  constantly  im- 
proving, well  knowing  that  if  they  cease  to  advance 
or  are  permitted  to  retrograde,  a  serious  loss  is  in- 
evitably incun-ed ;  so  is  it  with  bees.  If  they  are 
permitted  to  go  backward,  or  even  come  to  a  stand- 
still, at  any  period  from  the  opening  of  spring  until 
the  middle  of  September,  a  serious  loss  is  the  inevi- 
table result. 

BEVAN    ON    FEEDING. 

The  celebrated  Dr.  Bevan  seems  to  have  under- 
stood, to  some  extent,  the  advantages  of  feeding.  I 
quote  from  his  work,  page  67 :  "  Toward  the  middle 
of  February,  or  as  soon  as  the  bees  come  freely  forth, 
it  will  be  advantageous  to  treat  them  with  one  of  the 
above  compounds  (feed),  which  as  I  have  already 
observed,  will  tend  to  promote  early  breeding,  and 
may  sometimes  obviate  the  death  of  the  first  brood ; 


172  13EES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

iind  for  tlic  sake  of  early  swarming  this  is  the  most 
important.  This  bounty  should  be  continued,  to  the 
amount  of  about  a  tablospoonful  a  day,  till  the  bees 
disregard  it,  which  will  be  as  soon  as  the  flowers 
aftbrd  a  supply  of  honey."  This  is  a  much  less 
amount  than  I  recommend,  yet  its  eftects  seem  to 
have  been  very  perceptible. 

The  same  author  continues :  "  I  have  spoken  of  the 
different  extent  to  which  food  should  be  administered 
in  spring  and  autumn  ;  but  circumstances  may  occur 
in  which  the  treatment  of  bees  in  spring  should  be 
assimilated  to  that  of  autumn.  Feburier  gives  some 
striking  instances  of  this.  The  weather  in  February, 
1810,  having  been  very  mild,  the  bees  about  Ver- 
sailles, in  reliance  upon  its  continuance,  were  in  a 
state  of  great  forwardness  with  their  brood  ;  but  the 
temperature  afterward  became  cold,  and  continued 
so,  till  the  store  of  honey  in  some  hives  was  exhausted, 
and  nearly  so  in  all.  Two  neighbors  of  his  adopted 
opposite  lines  of  conduct  on  this  occasion :  one  fed 
his  bees  liberally,  the  other  not  at  all;  whilst  Feb- 
urier himself,  with  an  ill-judged  economy,  adopted  a 
middle  course.  The  result  was  remarkable  and 
highly  instructive.  The  neighbor  who  fed  not  at 
all  lost  three-fourths  of  his  families :  out  of  twenty- 
two  stocks  Feburier  lost  two,  the  remainder  swarmed 
very  late,  and  some  of  the  swarms  were  ver}^  feeble, 
insomuch  that  in  the  autumn  he  lost  two  more  from 
the  ravages  of  the  wax  moth  ;  whilst  the  liberal  feeder 
saved  all  his  old  stocks,  and  his  first  swarms  issued 
so  earlv  as  to  be  succeeded  bv  several  strone-  after- 


FEEDING.  173 

swarms ;  and  tlie  bees  througliout  his  apiary  were  so 
vigorous  that  they  defended  themselves  successfully 
against  the  wax  moths,  by  which  three  of  his  hives 
v.ere  attacked." 

Mr.  Quiuby  seems  to  think  feeding  should  be  a 
last  resort,  and  if  fed  at  all,  it  should  only  be  for  the 
purpose  of  preventing  starvation.  I  think  it  quite 
possible  that  further  experience  on  this  point,  and  his 
better  judgment,  will  ere  long  cause  him  to  review 
the  chapter  on  feeding  bees  in  his  valuable  work,  and 
very  materially  change  it. 

There  is,  in  my  estimation,  quite  as  much  propriety 
in  permitting  ahorse  or  a  cow  to  go  without  feed  for 
a  time  previous  to  the  coming  of  grass  in  the  spring, 
to  ascertain  how  near  it  would  come  to  starving  to 
death,  without  actually  doing  so,  as  it  would  be  to 
permit  a  colony  of  bees  to  arrive  so  near  the  point  of 
starvation ;  and  although  it  may  be  true,  that  many 
bee-keepers,  perhaps  a  majority,  are  too  careless  or 
too  indolent  to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  of 
feeding,  it  argues  nothing  against  the  system.  There 
are  those,  and  the  number  will  rapidly  increase,  who 
can  and  will  feed  judiciously,  and  make  it  profitable. 

The  experience  I  have  had  during  the  last  two 
years,  in  feeding  bees,  in  California,  has  been  of 
great  importance  to  me,  and  ma}-  be  to  others  here- 
after. But  perhaps  some  one  is  ready  to  exclaim: 
Why  do  you  feed  bees  in  California  ?  I  have  heard  a 
great  deal  about  the  immense  quantities  of  honey- 
producing  flowers,  the  copious  honey  dews  that  fall 
there,  the  large  yields  of  surplus  hone}^  from  stocks 
15* 


174  BEES    AND    BEE-KKKPI}.-(i. 

of  bees,  the  vast  increase  of  su'arms,  &c.  and  yet  you 
say  you  feed  your  bees  even  in  California,  in  the 
midst  of  all  this  profusion  of  honey  from  natural 
sources. 

Yes,  this  is  all  true  of  California.  It  is  one  of  the 
finest  honey-producing  States  on  this  continent,  and 
one  of  the  most  salubrious  climes  for  the  profitable 
culture  of  the  honey  bee.  The  seasons  are  long, 
the  winters  mild,  and  there  is  a  good  succession  of 
honey-producing  fiowers  throughout  the  season  ;  and 
yet,  notwithstanding  all  these  favorable  circum- 
stances, intervals  in  the  honey  harvest  are  of  fre- 
quent occurrence.  Sometimes  for  a  few  days  only, 
at  other  times  for  weeks,  but  little  if  any  honey  can 
be  obtained  from  the  fiowers ;  the  bees  will  cease  to 
build  any  combs,  and  rear  but  little  if  any  more 
brood  than  was  under  way  when  the  supply  of  honey 
failed,  and  even  a  portion  of  this  is  sometimes 
abandoned.  Thus  they  not  only  cease  to  advance  but 
actually  retrograde,  for  as  soon  as  the  honey  fails 
abroad  they  consume  of  that  stored  for  winter  use, 
besides  losing  much  valuable  time.  I  made  it  a 
point  to  feed  liberally  at  all  times,  when  there  was 
any  scarcity  of  honey  abroad.  The  mode  was,  to 
feed  promiscuousl}',  by  putting  the  syrup  into  large 
feed  boxes,  as  has  been  described,  set  a  few  rods 
from  the  apiary.  Feeding  will  always  excite  bees 
to  greater  activity ;  but  it  gave  us  no  trouble  from 
quarreling  or  robbing,  which  some  authore  seem  so 
much  to  fear. 

The  strong  and  the  weak  partook  just  in  propor- 


FEEDING.  175 

tion  to  the  number  of  bees  vvliich  each  colony  con- 
tained. I  would  mention,  that  our  principal  apiary 
was  about  a  mile  from  where  any  other  bees  were 
kept.  The  result  was  highly  gratifying-.  From  each 
imported  colony,  which  in  the  spring  was  both  small 
in  quantity  of  combs,  and  weak  in  bees,  we  had  an 
average  increase  of  over  live  swarms  during  the  past 
summer,  all  in  good  condition  for  wintering.  It 
would  have  been  quite  impossible  to  have  obtained 
such  results  in  one  season  by  any  other  system,  from 
such  small  stocks.  A  majority  of  the  imported  col- 
onies did  not  average  over  a  quart  of  bees  on  the  first 
of  March,  with  an  average  of  about  525  square  inches 
of  comb,  or  enough  to  till  the  hives  one-third.  The 
most  that  could  have  been  realized  from  such  stocks 
in  one  season,  without  feeding,  would  have  been  to 
double  the  stock,  and  have  them  all  in  fair  condition 
for  wintering. 

First  class  stocks,  that  stood  over  winter  full  of 
combs  well  stored  with  honey  and  pollen,  having  a 
strong,  healthy  and  vigorous  swarm  of  bees,  say  the 
first  of  March,  can  be  increased  in  California  to  five  or 
six  during  the  season,  without  feeding;  but  if  fed 
properly  they  can  be  augmented  quite  as  easily  to  ten 
or  twelve;  so  that  the  difiierence  is  very  considerable 
in  favor  of  feeding,  even  in  one  of  the  very  best  honey 
growing  districts  in  America;  and  it  would  be  much 
more  so  in  all  districts  of  country  where  the  honey 
harvest  is  reduced  to  but  a  few  weeks,  as  is  the  case 
in  most  of  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States. 


176  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

EFFECTS    OF   FEEDING    CONTRASTED    WITH    NON-FEEDING. 

I  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  effects  of 
feeding  as  contrasted  with  non-feeding,  in  a  very 
striking  manner  the  past  season  in  California.  Two 
gentlemen,  whom  I  shall  call  H.  and  R.,  in  the  city 
of  Sacramento,  bought  twenty-five  hives  of  bees  from 
us  in  December,  1858 ;  in  April  following  they  be- 
gan to  divide  them,  or  make  artificial  swarms ;  and 
having  had  but  little  experience  as  bee-keepers,  they 
fell  into  the  error  common  to  the  inexperienced  ;  they 
spread  them  out  too  thin,  or  in  other  words,  attempted 
to  increase  them  faster  than  the  condition  of  the 
stocks  and  the  amount  of  honey  being  gathered  at 
the  time  would  justify.  As  a  natural  consequence, 
they  nearly  ruined  many  of  their  colonies.  When 
the  bees  found  the  supply  of  honey  failing  in  the 
fields,  and  the  stores  at  home  reduced  by  being 
divided  into  small  nuclei,  they  apparently  became 
discouraged,  many  deserted  their  brood,  wdiich  after- 
ward had  to  be  removed,  and  all  the  stocks  in  the 
apiary  came  to  a  dead  stand-still.  Whilst  in  this 
dilemma,  Messrs.  H.  and  R.  applied  to  us  for  advice. 
The  difficulty  was  easily  understood,  and  the  remedy 
at  once  suggested  itself;  simply  to  get  refined  sugar, 
reduce  it  to  a  syrup,  and  feed.  Other  bees  were 
kept  near  them,  and  not  being  disposed  to  feed  their 
neighbors'  stocks,  we  suggested  that  they  get  pans 
or  boxes  made  in  the  manner  we  have  described  in 
another  place,  and  feed  in  the  chamber  or  upper  part 
of  the  hive.  They  at  once  acted  upon  these  sug- 
gestions,  and  commenced  feeding  iiiside    the  hive, 


FEEDING.  177 

from  lialf  a  pint  to  Ji  pint  of  syrup  per  day  to  each 
colony,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  colony.  The 
effect  was  magical ;  confidence  seemed  to  be  restored ; 
they  were  encouraged  to  proceed  with  the  various 
manipulations  necessary  for  the  development  of 
strong,  vigorous  colonies;  feeding  was  continued 
whenever  a  scarcity  of  honey  occurred.  The  result 
was  very  satisfactory,  having  a  large  increase  of  col- 
onies during  the  season,  all  in  good  condition  for 
wintering. 

ANOTHER   CASE   WHERE   BEES    WERE    NOT    FED,    UNDER 
SIMILAR    CIRCUMSTANCES. 

Two  bee-keepers  in  Yuba  county,  California,  in 
the  spring  of  1859,  had  a  pretty  large  stock  of  bees 
in  partnership;  they  began  increasing  the  number 
by  division,  or  artificial  swarms,  and  continued  doing 
so  rapidly.  All  went  well  so  long  as  the  honey 
harvest  continued  ;  when  that  failed,  the  bees,  having 
but  a  small  amount  in  store,  which  was  soon  con- 
sumed, abandoned  their  brood,  which  perished,  and 
was  pronounced  foul  brood,  resulting  in  a  heavj' 
loss  to  the  owners,  before  the  return  of  a  honey 
harvest.  Those  that  survived  seemed  much  less  vig- 
orous than  those  that  were  fed.  The  difference  in 
the  final  result  of  the  year's  operation,  as  compared 
with  those  fed  properly,  was  more  than  one-half. 

Some  one  may  be  ready  to  suggest  at  this  point, 
that  if  they  had  not  been  divided,  the  difficulty  re- 
ferred to  had  not  occurred.  Well,  perhaps  it  would 
not.     But  let  us  see  how  those  in  the  common  box 


178  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

hive  progressed  during  this  time,  and  compare  the 
increase  during  the  season.    I  have  a  case  at  point. 

A  man  in  Sacramento  City,  in  the  autumn  or 
winter  of  1858,  bought  ten  common  box  or  chamber 
hives  of  bees,  for  which  he  paid  one  thousand  dollars. 
The  following  spring,  one  of  his  neighbors  advised 
him  to  transfer  them  into  our  movable  comb  liive  ;  his 
reply  was,  jSTo,  sir ;  I  will  try  no  experiments  until  I 
get  my  money  back.  I  expect  each  one  of  my  hives 
to  swarm  at  least  three  times,  making  thirty  young 
swarms,  or  forty  in  all.  Had  this  expectation  been 
realized,  it  would  have  been  a  pretty  good  year's 
work;  but  a  change  of  weather  at  a  critical  period 
spoiled  all  this  nice  calculation.  The  weather,  up  to 
about  the  middle  of  April,  continued  very  fine ;  a  few 
swarms  came  off  at  different  points.  One  hive,  per- 
haps, in  fifteen  or  twenty  having  swarmed,  it  was 
thoaght  the  swarming  season  had  fairly  set  in;  the 
hopes  and  anticipations  of  bee-keepers  who  were 
depending  on  natural  swarms  to  increase  their  stock, 
ran  very  high.  An  examination  of  the  hives  dis- 
closed the  fact,  that  all  strong  stocks  had,  or  were 
busily  engaged  making  the  necessary  preparations  for 
swarming,  by  rearing  young  queens;  drones  were 
plenty  ;  many  of  the  strong  stocks  had  a  pretty  good 
sized  swarm  clustered  outside  of  the  hive ;  honey 
was  being  stored  plentifully ;  every  thing  seemed 
prosperous.  But  a  change  came  over  their  dreams. 
The  weather,  from  being  warm  and  fine,  changed  to 
cold,  with  very  high  winds,  common  to  California, 
and  continued  for  a  period  of  eight  or  ten  days.    The 


FEEDINGf.  179 

constant  diying  winds  seemed  to  exhaust  the  honey 
IVom  the  flowers  as  fast  as  it  Avas  generated,  or  par- 
tially blighted  them,  so  that  but  little  was  produced 
during  this  time  for  the  bees  to  gather,  even  when 
they  were  able  to  go  abroad  for  a  few  hours.  The 
bees,  true  to  their  instinct,  finding  the  yield  of 
honey  cut  ofi'  and  the  weather  so  cold,  windy  and 
unfavorable,  commenced  killing  their  drones,  and 
destroyed  indiscriminately  all  the  embryo  queens 
that  were  in  transitu  from  the  egg  to  the  perfect 
insect.  This  prett}^  effectually  closed  the  swarming 
for  the  season.  The  lot  of  bees  to  which  I  refer, 
although  they  did  better  than  many  others,  shared 
the  same  fate.  The  result  was  an  increase  of  six  or 
seven  swarms  up  to  the  latter  part  of  July,  past  the 
usual  swarming  season  (his  bees  continued  to  cluster 
on  the  outside  of  the  hive),  when,  as  I  have  since 
learned,  he  had  them  transferred  into  movable  frame 
hives,  and  divided. 

Thus  we  find  the  same  cause  operated  to  the  seri- 
ous injury  of  the  bees  in  both  cases,  with  this 
difference ;  in  the  case  of  dividing,  if  the  old  hive 
was  reduced  too  much,  there  was  danger  of  losing 
all ;  in  the  other,  the  old  stock  was  still  strong 
and  vigorous,  and  would  probably  store  considerable 
supplies  of  honey  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season ; 
but  in  either  or  in  both  cases,  a  few  days  careful 
feeding  would  have  obviated  all  this  trouble  and  loss, 
keeping  them  encouraged  until  the  return  of  good 
weather  and  a  supply  of  honey  from  the  fields. 

Some  of  my  readers  may  argue,  that  it  may  pay  to 


180  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPTKii 

feed  bees  in  California,  where  they  are  worth  a  hun- 
dred dollars  a  hive,  but  it  won't  pay  here,  where  the 
price  of  bees  and  honey  is  so  much  less.  To  this 
objection  I  would  say,  try  it  in  any  place  where  bees 
are  kept.  During  a  scarcity  of  honey,  don't  feed  for 
two  or  three  days  and  then  quit,  but  feed  a  portion 
every  day  when  no  honey  is  ol^tained  abroad,  for  one 
season,  and  if  the  results  are  not  highly  favorable 
(the  cost  being  but  trifling),  cease  to  feed  forever 
after. 

Langstroth  says,  give  him  but  plenty  of  good  dry  bee 
combs,  and  he  has  found  the  very  philosopher's  stone 
in  bee  keeping.  I  confess  they  are  very  valuable.  I 
would  change  this  a  little,  however,  and  say,  give 
me  plenty  of  honey,  or  saccharine  matter  of  suitable 
quality  to  feed  with,  and  I  will  have  a  charm  worth 
two  of  his.  With  it  I  can  make  both  bees  and  combs 
in  abundance;  without  it,  he  may  have  the  combs 
but  no  bees,  which  would  not  be  so  very  valuable. 

I  trust  my  readers  will  bear  with  me  for  devoting 
so  much  space  to  this  one  point  in  bee-keeping,  and 
in  concluding  this  part  of  my  subject,  I  venture 
the  prediction  that  time  will  fully  demonstrate  the 
fact,  that  to  make  bee-keeping  profitable  in  well 
settled  countries,  it  will  be  quite  as  necessary  to  pro- 
vide them  with  food,  in  the  manner  described,  or  by 
raising  flowers  to  fill  those  intervals  in  the  honey 
harvest  to  which  I  have  referred,  as  it  is  to  provide 
feed  during  a  certain  portion  of  the  year  for  our 
cattle. 

The  prominent  points  in  this  chapter  are  original, 


Il-KDIXG.  181 

being  the  result  of  ray  experience  and  observation  ■ 
therefore  they  are  open  for  criticism.  If  any  apia- 
rian who  may  chance  to  read  it,  doubts  the  utility  of 
the  position  taken  in  regard  to  feeding,  I  would  be 
glad  to  have  him  refute  it;  not  by  words  or  theories, 
but  by  experiment,  for  not  less  than  two  seasons,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  fully  test  it ;  not  for  the  purpose 
of  keeping  the  bees  from  starving,  but  to  keep  them 
constantly  advancing  and  improving  from  the  early 
spring  until  the  close  of  the  buckwheat  season, 
which  with  us  is  about  the  middle  of  September.  I 
am  well  aware  that  other  authors  have  recommended 
feeding,  but  apparently  for  other  purposes,  and  at 
other  times  than  those  I  suggest  and  recommend. 
Dr.  Bevan  is,  I  believe,  the  only  one  that  has  hinted 
at  the  propriety  of  feeding  in  this  way,  and  I  trust 
this  may  at  least  serve  to  call  attention  to  this  im- 
portant point,  and  prompt  to  careful  experiments  in 
this  direction. 

HOW   TO    MANAGE   BEES   IN   COMMON   BOX   HIVES. 

As  it  is  quite  improbable  that  all  bee-keepers  whc 
may  chance  to  read  this  treatise  will  adopt  the  use- 
of  our  hive,  or  indeed  avail  themselves  of  the  advan- 
tages of  any  movable  comb  hive,  however  great  the 
facilities  they  may  present  for  the  skillful  and  profit- 
able management  of  their  bees,  preferring  the  old 
box  hive,  either  with  or  without  boxes,  to  obtain 
surplus  honey  ;  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  some  sug- 
gestions in  regard  to  their  proper  care. 

The  same  general  management  of  bees  will  hold 
16 


182  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEI>ING. 

good  with  all  kinds  of  hives,  with  this  exception  : 
in  movable  comb  hives,  and  all  that  class  of  hives 
used  for  increasing  bees  by  dividing  or  artificial 
swarms,  a  condition  of  things  is  brought  about  quite 
different  from  that  naturally  existing  in  the  common 
hive,  where  bees  are  left  to  take  their  own  course, 
being  permitted  to  swarm  in  the  natural  way,  when 
the  season  and  surrounding  circumstances  are  favor- 
able for  this  important  event.  It  not  unfrequently 
happens,  during  some  seasons,  that  although  bees 
swarm  but  little,  if  any,  yet  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
season  they  store  a  very  large  amount  of  surplus 
honey,  thereby  realizing  a  handsome  income  to  the 
bee-keeper  upon  his  investment,  although  his  stocks 
may  not  be  increased. 

Early  in  the  spring,  examine  your  stocks  carefully, 
remove  all  the  dead  bees  and  lilth  of  all  kinds  from 
the  bottom-board  of  the  hive,  or  the  board  on  wdiich 
they  stand,  if  open  at  the  bottom ;  repeat  this  clean- 
ing operation  every  few  days,  until  the  bees  become 
so  numerous  as  to  occupy  all  the  spaces  between  and 
around  the  lower  edges  of  the  combs,  when  they  will 
generally  keep  themselves  free  from  any  further  ac- 
cumulation of  filth.  They  should  be  fed  in  the 
chamber  or  upper  part  of  the  hive,  as  directed  in 
another  chapter,  being  careful  to  feed  with  great 
regularity.  If  the  hives  are  strong  and  reasonably 
heavy,  but  a  small  amount  need  be  fed  each  day. 
Toward  the  latter  part  of  April  it  would  be  well  to 
blow  a  little  smoke  under  the  hives,  and  turn  them 
upside  down  and  examine  the  combs ;  if  any  of  them 


FEEDING  183 

are  found  to  be  thick  and  black,  a  small  portion 
should  be  cut  oft".  Few  if  any  hives  need  pruning 
until  the  fifth  or  sixth  ^-ear  from  the  time  the  swarm 
was  put  into  the  hive  (those  who  advocate  the  renew- 
ing or  new  comb  system,  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing), and  then  it  is  only  necessary  to  cut  say 
five  or  six  inches  off  the  lower  ends  of  the  combs  in 
which  the  greatest  number  of  young  bees  have  been 
raised.  The  store  combs,  and  even  a  part  of  the 
brood  combs,  may  be  used  a  much  longer  time,  par- 
ticularly the  upper  part.  I  have  seldom  found  it 
necessary  to  prune  off  more  than  one-third  of  the 
combs  at  once,  the  first  time  we  prune  a  hive,  say  six 
inches  in  height.  Combs  thus  renewed  will  do  very 
well  for  four  or  five  years  longer,  when  they  should 
be  cut  off  up  to  the  point  where  the  honey  and  brood 
meet.  The  upper  part  of  the  combs,  for  two  or  three 
inches  in  depth  from  the  top,  if  the  hive  is  twelve  or 
fifteen  inches  in  height  in  the  clear,  is  generally  kept 
full  of  honey,  unless  in  a  season  of  greAt  scarcity. 
Combs  so  used  will  do  very  well  for  a  long  time  for 
the  purposes  required.  I  know  of  several  hives 
having  such  combs  in,  but  little  less  than  twenty 
years  old,  that  have  been  and  now  are  good,  thrifty 
and  productive  stocks ;  the  combs  principally  used 
for  breeding  in  have  been  pruned  in  the  manner 
described  perhaps  three  times  during  that  period.  It 
is  a  great  error  to  suppose  that  combs  should  be  cut 
out  and  renewed  every  year,  or  even  every  three  or 
four  years.  If  the  hives  are  kept  well  covered  and 
shaded  from  the  sun  during  hot  weather,  bees  will 


184  BEES    AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

live  and  do  well  for  a  much  longer  time  than  many 
writers  would  have  us  believe. 

To  prune  in  the  manner  I  have  described,  early  in 
the  spring,  be  careful  to  feed,  which  will  induce  the 
bees  to  build  new  combs  to  fill  up  the  vacancy ;  in  a 
short  time  all  will  be  full  again. 

I  fi.nd,  in  choosing  the  time  for  pruning,  my  expe- 
rience differs  from  Mr.  Quinby's.  Perhaps  this  arises 
from  the  fact  of  his  wintering  bees  in  the  house, 
which  I  cannot  approve  of  or  recommend,  for  general 
practice,  for  reasons  given  in  another  place.  As  cold 
weather  approaches,  bees  cluster  pretty  near  the 
lower  end  of  the  brood  combs ;  this  is  generally 
where  the  last  brood  emerges,  where  the  empty  cells 
are  found,  if  there  are  an}"  in  the  hive.  As  winter 
advances  the  bees  ascend  higher  and  higher,  just  in 
proportion  as  thej^  consume  the  honey  from  the  upper 
edge  of  their  cluster.  When  spring  opens,  we  gen- 
erally find  the  main  body  of  the  cluster  over  two- 
thirds  of  the  distance  from  bottom  to  top  of  the 
combs.  This  is  when  they  commence  to  rear 
brood  largely,'  although  they  may  have  had  some  for 
weeks  or  months  previously,  yet  as  it  emerges  the 
cluster  moves  steadily  upward ;  hence,  on  the  appear- 
ance of  warm  weather,  in  the  spring,  quite  enough 
combs  are  empty  in  the  lower  part  of  the  hive  to 
permit  pruning  without  interfering  with  the  brood 
or  eggs.  Probably  it  would  l)e  otherwise  with  bees 
wintered  in  a  warm  room. 

But  little  now  renniins  to  be  done  until  the  swarm- 
ing season  arrives,  except  to  put  on  the  honey  boxes 
on  the  approach  of  the  clover  season. 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  185 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

NATURAL  SWARMING. 

The  swarming-  season,  wlien  bees  are  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition,  as  they  invariably  should  be,  having 
obtained  sufficient  food,  either  naturally  or  artificially 
to  make  them  so,  is  one  of  great  excitement  and  of 
peculiar  interest  to  the  bee-keepers,  both  naturally 
and  pecuniarily. 

Now  that  the  mode  of  propagating  and  increasing 
bees  rapidly  by  division,  or  b}'  making  artificial 
swarms  in  the  manner  heretofore  described,  is  be- 
coming so  well  understood,  and  I  have  no  doubt  will 
be  generally  practiced  by  all  who  cultivate  bees 
either  for  pleasure  or  profit,  as  by  this  means  they 
can  secure  an  increase  of  stocks  in  such  numbers 
and  at  such  times  as  may  best  suit  them,  by  exercis- 
ing proper  judgment  and  taking  due  care  to  feed 
wdien  a  scarcity  of  honey  occurs ;  I  conclude  that 
this  mode  will  very  materially  lessen  the  interest  of 
natural  swarming. 

The  habits  and  instincts  of  the  honey  bee,  their 
peculiar  wants  and  requirements,  are  becoming  so 
well  known,  dispelling  the  m3-3tery  and  superstition 
that  has  been  so  closely  associated  with  and  obscured 
bees  and  bee-keeping  for  so  many  ages  past,  that  as 
the  morning  suu  dispels  the  mist  and  fogs  of  the 
valley,  thus  ere  long  will  it  be  freed  from  these 
deleterious  influences,  and  stand  forth  as  the  noblest 
of  the  insect  creation,  silently  teaching  mankind 
16* 


186  BEES    ANt>    BEE-KEEPINQ. 

lessons  of  harmony,  industry  and  perseverance. 
The  cultivation  of  honey  bees  is  destined  ere  long  to 
be  one  of  the  most  important  and  profitable  branches 
of  rural  economy. 

TIME    TO    EXPECT    FIRST    SWARMS. 

In  this  latitude  (42  degrees  IST.)  some  years  ago, 
when  there  was  a  good  supply  of  wild  honey-pro- 
ducing flowers  blooming  early  in  May,  making  a 
continuous  supply  of  honey  from  the  opening  of  the 
first  fruit  tree  flowers  until  the  closing  of  the  clover 
season,  swarming  began  as  early  as  the  twentieth 
of  May,  and  continued  in  good  seasons  until  July,  or 
near  the  close  of  the  clover  season. 

The  value  that  was  attached  to  swarms  issuing  at 
the  diflerent  periods,  may  be  illustrated  by  a  little 
rhyme,  which  an  old  Scotch  friend  of  our  family 
taught  me,  when  a  very  small  boy ;  it  ran  as  follows : 

A  swarm  of  bees  in  May,  is  worth  a  stack  of  haj'  ; 
But  one  in  July  is  scarcely  worth  a  butterfly. 

As  the  countiy  has  been  improved,  and  the  for- 
ests cut  down,  the  quantity  of  wild  flowers  has  been 
reduced  each  year,  until  there  is  now  a  period  of 
from  two  to  four  weeks,  from  the  close  of  honey 
gathering  from  the  fruit  trees  until  the  white  clover 
comes  in  bloom,  during  which  time  a  very  small 
amount  of  houey  can  be  obtained,  although  this  is 
the  most  critical  part  of  tlie  year.  More  bees  starve 
during  this  time  than  all  the  rest  of  the  year,  at 
least  in  this  region  of  conntiy.  This  may  seem 
strange  to  some  of  my  readers,  nevertheless  it  is  a 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  187 

fact.  I  account  for  it  in  this  way :  many  stocks  that 
are  tolerably  strong,  with  but  a  moderate  quantity 
of  honey  from  the  previous  year,  when  the  fruit 
trees  expand  their  flowers,  finding  a  copious  supply 
of  honey,  are  induced  to  commence  rearing  a  large 
amount  of  brood.  A  change  of  weather  may  soon 
occur,  such  as  to  prevent  the  bees  from  getting  the 
full  benefit  of  the  honey  from  this  source,  which  is 
of  very  common  occurrence  at  this  season  of  the 
year ;  the  supply  on  hand  is  soon  exhausted  by  the 
greatly  increased  demand  to  supply  the  brood.  If 
they  are  not  relieved  at  this  stage,  they  either  die 
miserably  at  their  post,  or  some  warm  day  swarm 
out,  abandoning  their  brood,  and  attempt  to  unite 
with  some  other  stock  that  seems  to  have  provision 
still  in  store.  Sometimes  they  are  kindly  received, 
at  others  massacred  without  pity. 

Even  the  colonies  that  have  a  fair  supply  of  honey 
in  store,  become  discouraged  by  the  unfavorable  con- 
dition of  the  weather,  and  have  notliing  to  stimulate 
them ;  large  quantities  are  lost  in  cool,  windy  days, 
when  abroad  vainly  attempting  to  secure  a  portion 
of  honey  whilst  the  fruit  trees  are  in  bloom.  The 
loss  of  bees  in  this  way  is  about  equal  to  the  gain  of 
young  ones  emerging  from  the  cells,  so  that  we  find 
them  at  the  beginning  of  the  clover  season  in  but 
little  if  any  better  condition  than  they  were  at  the 
close  of  fruit  tree  flowers.  These  difliculties  may  be 
easily  overcome,  to  a  ver}'  great  extent  at  least,  by 
supplying  them  with  feed,  or  providing  a  supply  of 
flowers  to  fill  this    interval ;    consequently,  swarms 


188  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

now  seldom  come  forth  Ijeforc  the  twentieth  of  June, 
in  this  region  of  country,  unless  in  some  fiivorablc 
locality  Avhere  a  supply  of  wild  honey-producing 
flowers  still  exists.  There  are  one  or  two  such 
places  a  few  miles  distant  from  ray  residence,  where 
the  bees  keep  up  the  good  old  practice  of  swarming 
in  the  latter  part  of  May  or  first  of  June,  notwith- 
standing the  advent  of  the  bee  or  wax  moth,  and 
the  change  of  times  and  things  elsewhere.  This,  I 
conceive,  is  pretty  strong  evidence  of  the  great  ad- 
vantage to  be  derived  from  an  abundant  supply  of 
food,  naturall}^  or  artificially,  from  early  spring  until 
the  clover  season. 

The  time  of  swarming  is  varied  in  proportion  to 
the  latitude  and  circumstances,  such  as  have  just 
been  referred  to.  In  California  the  swarming  season 
usually  commences  early  in  April ;  some  seasons  a 
few  swarms  come  off  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  but 
this  is  the  exception,  not  the  rule.  First  swarms 
frequently  fill  up  their  hive  and  send  off  one  or 
more  swarrjis  the  same  season ;  but  even  there  they 
are  governed  by  the  yield  of  hone}',  kind  of  weather, 
&c.  the  same  as  here. 

All  the  principal  bee-keepers  in  California  have 
adopted  artificial  swarming,  and  seem  to  prefer  it 
to  natural  swarming  for  increasing  their  stocks,  as 
being  more  certain  and  profitable  in  its  results.  It 
is  to  the  interest  of  bee-keepers  to  investigate  the 
matter  closel}',  and  compare  the  results  of  the  two 
systems,  in  order  to  adopt  the  best.  Where  bees  sell 
readily  at  one  hundred  dollars  per  hive  (as  has  been 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  189 

the  case  ever  since  bees  were  introduced  into  Cali- 
fornia), the  difference  of  a  liive  or  two,  more  or  less, 
is  quite  an  important  item ;  hence  the  decision  and 
the  experience  of  the  California  apiarians  upon  this 
point  is  worthy  of  serious  and  careful  consideration 
by  all  who  are  or  expect  to  be  engaged  in  bee-keep- 
ing. Where  dollars  and  cents  in  such  large  quan- 
tities are  so  temptingly  arrayed  before  the  skillful 
importers,  propagators  and  dealers  in  bees,  it  is  very 
safe  to  conclude  that  the  shortest  road  to  w^ealth  wnll 
be  adopted  by  the  majority;  the  most  certain  and 
expeditious  method  of  increasing  bees,  and  keeping 
them  in  the  most  flourishing  condition,  will  be  sought 
out  and  practiced  ;  and  all  prejudice  and  fanciful 
ideas  will  be  laid  aside  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
the  mighty  dollar. 

I  think  facts  justify  me  in  supposing  that  greater 
advances  have  been  made  by  the  California  bee- 
keepers, within  the  last  three  years,  to  acquire  and 
perfect  a  thoroughly  practical  and  reliable  system  for 
the  management  of  bees,  to  obtain  the  greatest  in- 
crease of  stocks  and  the  largest  yield  of  surplus  honey 
in  any  given  period  of  time,  than  has  been  made  in 
all  the  other  States  of  the  Union  during  the  last  half 
century.  This  may  seem  somewhat  paradoxical;  if 
so,  just  reflect  for  a  moment  that  bees  at  one  hundred 
dollars  per  colony,  and  honey  at  one  dollar  per  pound, 
is  a  great  temptation  to  seek  for  knowledge  in  bee- 
keeping; in  fact,  it  has  been  sought  with  greater 
assiduity  than  the  world  has  ever  before  seen  in 
apiarian  science. 


190  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

CAUSE    OF    SWARMING. 

Authors  do  r.ot  agree  as  to  the  cause  of  bees 
swarmiug.  Some  suppose  it  to  be  for  waut  of  room, 
others  think  they  swarm  to  avoid  the  coufliets  of 
the  queen,  whilst  yet  others  advocate  still  different 
theories  ;  but  all  such  theories,  I  apprehend,  are  at 
fault.  I  have  ever  believed  swarming  to  be  in  strict 
accordance  with  the  fiat  of  the  Almighty  maker  of 
the  universe,  who  said,  "  Go  forth  and  multiply,  and 
replenish  the  earth."  I  am  far  from  supposing  it  to 
be  the  result  of  any  forced  or  unnatural  cause,  but  as 
simply  the  instinct  given  them  as  a  means  of  extend- 
ing and  perpetuating  their  species  ;  in  fact,  in  a  state 
of  nature  it  could  not  possibly  be  dispensed  with ; 
without  this  means  of  reproduction  the  species  would 
soon  become  extinct. 

CONDITION    OP   THINGS    NECESSARY    FOR    SWARMING. 

When  stocks  arc  strong,  the  bees  cluster  to  the 
bottom  of  the  combs,  and  sometimes  on  the  outside. 
It  is  necessary  there  should  be  a  good  supply  of  honey 
abroad  in  the  fields.  A  top  swarm  need  never  be 
expected  when  there  is  a  scarcity  of  honey.  ISTature 
has  taught  them  the  danger  and  folly  of  attempting 
to  emigrate,  and  set  up  house-keeping  in  a  new  place, 
without  the  assurance  of  obtaining  a  fair  supply  of 
provision;  indeed,  so  generally  do  the}'  observe  this 
precautions,  that  it  almost  amounts  to  the  power  of 
reasoning.  Warm  weather  is  also  necessary  for  their 
coming  forth.  I  have  frequently  know^n  them  to 
swarm  when  the  sun  was  partially  obscured  by  clouds. 


NATURAL  SWARMING.  191 

the  atmosphere  being  warm  aud  fine  ;  in  fact,  I  have 
thono-ht  that  a  warm  day  with  occasional  showers, 
the  Sim  sliining  briglitly  at  intervals,  is  a  favorite 
time  for  s^^•arms  to  come  oif.  They  seldom  attempt 
to  swarm  Avhen  it  is  cool  and  windy, 

Bonner,  who  is  a  very  reliable  aiitlior,  remarks  on 
this  point :  "  Some  swarms  will  lie  out  long  before 
they  swarm,  though  they  will  swarm  at  last ;  others, 
although  they  lie  out  equally  long,  will  not  swarm  at 
all ;  a  third  class  will  swarm  without  the  smallest 
previous  appearance,  and  a  fourth  will  make  a  bustle 
about  their  doors  for  three  or  four  days  before  they 
swarm ;  and  therefore,  from  such  a  variety  of  chances, 
it  is  scarcely  possible  to  determine  the  precise  time 
of  swarming,  especially  by  young  beginners  in  bee- 
husbandry.  A  constant  attendance  is  necessary  in 
swarming  time,  from  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  about  three  or  four  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  this 
needs  only  to  be  done  in  tine  warm  days,  as  the  bees 
seldom  send  out  a  colony  in  cold  or  chilly  weather." 

But  this  is  not  all  that  is  necessary.  Embryo 
queens  are  always  in  a  state  of  forwardness  to  supply 
the  old  hive,  as  the  old  queen  invariably  leaves  with 
the  first  swarm,  and  to  provide  queens  for  any  after- 
swarms.  I  cannot  better  describe  the  process  than 
by  quoting  frona  the  "Mysteries  of  Bee-keeping,"  by 
Mr.  Quinby,  who  is  good  authority  on  this  point: 

REQUISITES  BEFORE   PREPARATIONS    OF    QUEEN    CELLS. 

"  I  have  found  the  process  for  all  regular  swarma 
something  like  this  :    Before  they  commence,  two  oi 


192  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

three  things  are  requisite.  The  combs  must  bo 
crowded  with  bees:  they  must  contain  a  numerous 
brood  advancing  from  the  egg  to  maturity ;  the  bees 
must  be  obtaining  lioncy,  either  by  being  fed  or  from 
flowers.  Beino;  crowded  with  bees  in  a  scarce  time 
of  honey  is  insuflicient  to  bring  out  the  swarm, 
neither  is  an  abundance  suthcient,  without  the  bees 
and  the  brood.  The  period  that  all  these  requisites 
happen  together,  and  remain  long  enough,  will  vary 
with  different  stocks,  and  man}^  times  do  not  happen 
at  all  through  the  season,  with  some. 

"These  causes  then  appear  to  produce  a  few  queen 
cells,  generally  begun  before  the  hive  is  tilled." 

STATE    OP   QUEEN    CELLS   WHEN    USED. 

"They  are  about  half  finished,  when  they  receive 
the  eggs ;  as  these  eggs  hatch  into  larva,  others  are 
begun,  and  receive  eggs  at  different  periods  for  sev- 
eral days  later.  The  number  of  such  cells  seem  to 
be  governed  by  the  prosperity  of  the  bees  ;  when  the 
family  is  numerous  and  the  yield  of 'honey  abundant, 
they  may  amount  to  twenty,  at  other  times  perhaps 
not  more  than  two  or  three ;  although  several  such 
cells  may  remain  empty.  I  have  already  said  that  a 
failure  (or  even  a  partial  one,)  in  the  yield  of  honey 
at  any  time  from  the  depositing  of  the  royal  eggs  till 
the  sealing  of  the  cells  (which  is  about  ten  days), 
would  be  likely  to  bring  about  their  destruction. 
Even  after  being  scaled,  I  have  found  a  few  instances 
where  they  were  destroyed." 


NATLllAL    SWARMlNd.  193 

STATE    WHEN    S\VARM3   ISSUE. 

*'  But  when  there  is  nothing  precarious  about  the 
honey,  the  sealing  of  these  cells  is  the  time  to  expect 
the  first  swarm,  which  will  generally  issue  the  first 
fair  day  after  one  or  more  are  finished.  I  never 
missed  a  prediction  for  a  swarm  forty-eight  hours, 
when  I  have  judged  from  these  signs,  in  a  prosperous 
season.  When  there  is  a  partial  failure  of  honey, 
the  swarm  sometimes  will  wait  several  days  after 
finishing  them." 

The  surest  plan  is  to  occasionally  examine  the  con- 
dition of  the  queen  cells,  about  the  time  swarms  are 
expected.  This  is  readily  accomplished  in  our  im- 
proved movable  comb  hives,  by  simply  lifting  out 
the  frames  containing  the  combs ;  but  it  can  be  done 
in  any  kind  of  box  hive  or  gum,  by  first  blowing 
smoke  under  the  hive;  when  the  bees  are  driven, 
back  a  little,  invert  it,  repeating  the  smoking  opera- 
tion occasionally,  to  drive  the  bees  from  the  lower 
ends  of  the  combs,  where  the  queen  cells  are  usually 
found.  These  cells  are  of  an  oblong  circular  form, 
of  considerable  thickness,  and  in  appearance  rathel' 
clumsy;  when  half  made  they  are  not  unlike  the 
lower  part  of  an  acorn  turned  upside  down ;  they  are 
gradually  lengthened  as  the  royal  larva  increases  in 
size,  and  when  finished  and  sealed  up,  which,  as  Mr. 
Quinby  states,  is  about  ten  days  from  the  egg,  are 
about  an  inch  in  length  and  resemble  the  end  of 
one's  little  finger,  minus  the  nail,  and  are  generally 
suspended  in  a  perpendicular  form  from  the  comb. 
When  queen  cells  are  thus  prepared  watch  your  bees 
17 


194  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPIKG. 

carefully,  as  without  a  change  of  weather  a  swarm 
will  issue  ere  long. 

OTHER    SYMPTOMS    IMMEDIATEAY    PRECEDING    THE 
ISSUING    OF    A    SWARM. 

If,  when  the  foregoing  preparations  are  made,  in 
the  morning  of  a  warm,  calm  day,  you  observe  one 
or  more  strong  stocks  in  the  apiary,  from  which  few 
bees  are  going  forth  to  the  fields  in  search  of  honey, 
whilst  other  colonies  are  busily  at  work,  it  is  a  pretty 
strong  symptom  of  swarming  during  the  day.  Ob- 
servations I  have  made  lead  me  to  think,  that  the 
cause  of  this  seeming  inactivity  is,  that  they  are  en- 
gaged in  the  interior  of  the  hive  taking  in  provisions, 
simply  packing  their  trunks  for  the  voyage ;  as  most 
authors  agree  that  they  fill  their  sacs  with  honey 
before  the  swarm  issues.  Here,  again,  their  instinct 
amounts  almost  to  the  point  of  reasoning,  for  in  case 
of  a  delay  in  finding  a  suitable  home  to  shelter  them, 
or  if  a  sudden  change  in  the  weather  should  occur 
soon  after  it  was  safely  lodged  in  its  new  home,  so 
as  to  prevent  them  from  going  forth  to  gather  the 
needed  supplies  from  the  flowers,  starvation  and  the 
utter  destruction  of  the  swarm  would  be  the  result ; 
hence  the  importance  of  taking  a  supply  of  provi- 
sions before  emigrating. 

Another  indication  is  the  generally  excited  appear- 
ance of  the  bees  about  the  entrance  of  the  hive, 
running  to  and  fro  in  every  direction  ;  some  reeling 
around  in  small  circles  in  front  and  above  the  hive, 
apparently  anxious  for  the  important  event  to  take 


NATURAL    SWAKMING.  19o 

place,  when  suddenly  the  advance  guard  rushes  forth 
with  hurried  steps,  immediately  taking  wing  and 
mounting  into  the  air,  making  a  sharp,  shrill  sound, 
which  can  easily  be  distinguished  from  those  engaged 
in  their  usual  labor;  when,  hark!  the  joyful  crj'  is 
raised  by  those  on  watch :  The  bees  are  swarming ! 
which  generally  produces  as  much  excitement  in  the 
bee-keeper's  family  as  I  have  described  as  occurring 
in  the  bee  family. 

THE    MODUS    OPERANDI    OF    SWARMING. 

It  has  already  been  remarked,  that  a  column  or 
stream  of  bees  rushes  forth  with  the  utmost  precipi- 
tation. I  have  on  several  occasions  carefully  observed 
during  this  process,  to  see  if  the  queen  leads  the 
swarm,  or  is  the  first  to  leave  the  hive,  as  many 
authors  have  led  us  to  believe,  but  am  satisfied  this 
is  not  correct.  At  various  times  I  observed  her 
majesty  come  out  of  the  hive  greatly  excited,  and  run 
around  on  the  alighting  board,  or  on  the  side  of  the 
hive,  and  again  pass  into  the  hive,  apparently  bewil- 
dered, or  being  fearful  of  taking  wing;  in  a  few 
moments  she  would  again  make  her  appearance  out- 
side of  the  hive.  During  all  this  time  the  bees  were 
rushing  out  and  taking  wing  with  the  greatest  fury, 
until  the  air  for  a  considerable  space  around  and 
above  the  hive  was  completel}'^  filled  with  bees,  cir- 
cling around  in  every  direction.  This  operation  was 
repeated  several  times  before  she  took  wing,  by  which 
time  most  of  the  swarm  had  left,  and  instead  of  the 
queen  being  the  first  to  leave,  she  was  almost  the 


196  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

last.  Ou  one  or  two  occasions  I  saw  her  drop  down 
to  the  ground,  on  weeds  or  grass  in  front  of  the  hive, 
seemingly  unable  to  mount  up  into  the  air,  where, 
if  left  to  herself,  she  would  most  likely  have  perished, 
had  the  returning  swarm  not  discovered  her,  when 
they  immediately  commenced  clustering  around  her. 
In  the  year  1855,  one  of  our  stocks  sent  forth  a 
swarm,  which,  after  circling  around  for  some  time, 
returned  again  to  the  hive  from  whence  it  came.  It 
repeated  this  operation  the  next  day.  I  happened  to 
be  some  distance  from  the  apiary  each  time  the 
swarm  was  rapidly  returning.  When  I  arrived,  I  ex- 
amined carefully  in  front  of  the  hive  until  I  felt 
pretty  certain  the  queen  had  not  dropt  down  on  her 
first  attempt  to  fly  ;  hence  I  concluded  she  remained 
in  the  hive,  and  suspected  that  from  some  cause  she 
was  unable  to  fly.  To  satisfy  myself  upon  this  point, 
I  determined  to  watch  the  next  day  about  the  time 
they  were  likely  to  make  the  third  attempt.  I  had 
■but  a  short  time  to  wait  until  the  swarm  again  began 
rushing  out.  After  watching  for  a  few  moments,  a 
large  portion  of  the  swarm  having  gone  forth,  the 
queen  came  rushing  out,  first  running  up  the  side  ol" 
the  hive,  then  down  and  around  on  the  alighting 
board,  in  front  of  the  hive,  to  and  fro,  very  much 
excited,  but  made  no  attempt  to  fly.  I  at  once 
discovered  one  of  her  wings  was  deficient.  Mean- 
while the  bees  kept  rushing  out  as  though  their  very 
lives  depended  on  their  speed,  apparently  unconscious 
of  the  presence  of  the  queen;  in  fact,  in  their  hurry 
they  passed  over  and  around  her  with  the  same  indif- 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  li>7 

fereuce  they  would  if  she  had  been  any  other  object 
of  a  simihir  size,  I  now  lifted  the  hive  from  its 
stand,  set  it  a  little  to  one  side,  and  put  the  new 
hive  in  which  I  designed  putting  the  swarm,  in  its 
place,  still  keeping  my  eye  on  the  motions  of  the 
queen,  who  was  running  around  on  the  alighting 
board,  where  a  number  of  bees  remained.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  swarm  began  to  return  to  their  old  home, 
as  they  supposed,  having  discovered,  no  doubt,  that 
their  queen  was  not  with  them ;  they  immediately 
commenced  entering  the  new  hive,  in  company  with 
the  queen,  rejoicing  at  finding  her  and  a  new  home 
at  the  same  time.  In  a  few  minutes  the  swarm 
had  nearly  all  entered  the  hive,  when  I  removed 
it  to  a  new  stand  and  set  the  old  hive  back  in  its 
place  again,  when  all  seemed  prosperous  and  happy. 
Since  that  time  I  have  twice  had  occasion  to  repeat 
this  experiment,  with  similar  results.  From  these 
and  other  facts  which  will  be  noticed  in  their  proper 
place,  I  conclude  that  the  queen,  although  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  welfare  of  the  swarm,  is  very  far 
from  leading  and  directing  it  with  that  pomp  and 
queenly  authority  that  has  been  so  graphically  de- 
scribed and  dwelt  upon  by  some  authors ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  facts  justify  me  in  believing  that  in  swarm- 
ing, as  in  many  other  things,  the  queen  is  governed 
or  prompted  to  do  or  not  to  do  certain  things,  by  the 
common  worker  bees.  This,  I  am  aware,  is  assuming 
new  ground,  and  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  all  authors 
I  have  consulted;  hence  I  ask  a  careful  examination 
upon  this  point. 
17* 


198  hKKS    AN1>    BEE-KEEPINtt. 

Bonner,  in  describing  the  process  of  swarming, 
says :  "  JS'othing  can  surely  be  more  delightful  to  the 
bee-master  than  to  behold  the  young  emigrants  flying 
in  the  air  and  darkening  the  sky  with  a  thousand 
varying  lines,  passing  hither  and  thither  in  every 
direction."  It  is,  indeed,  surprising  to  see  the  young 
colony  leaving  their  mother  hive,  deserting  it  in  the 
utmost  hurry  and  precipitation,  insomuch  that  they 
can  hardly  clear  the  way  for  each  other.  A  stranger 
to  the  nature  of  these  wonderful  insects  would  be  apt 
to  conclude  that  there  was  some  formidable  enemy 
within,  who  was  murdering  them  by  wholesale,  and 
from  whom  they  were  flying  for  their  lives ;  or  else 
they  were  leaving  a  disagreeable  habitation,  where 
there  was  nothing  but  war  and  poverty,  and  emigrating 
to  some  happier  spot,  where  they  would  enjoy  peace 
and  plenty.  But  the  reverse  of  all  this  is  the  truth, 
for  they  are  going  away  of  their  own  accord,  cheer- 
fully parting  with  their  dearest  friends,  and  leaving 
a  warm  habitation  and  well  stored  granary  to  seek 
their  fortunes  in  a  new  situation,  where  they  will 
have  every  thing  to  provide  for  themselves,  and  all 
the  varieties  and  inconstancy  of  weather  and  climate 
to  struggle  against.     Such  is  nature. 

ALIGHTING    AND    HIVING    SWARMS, 

Swarms  generally  commence  to  cluster,  within  five 
or  ten  minutes  after  issuing,  sometimes  upon  a 
fence  or  post,  but  most  commonly  on  the  limb  of 
some  green  tree,  if  near  at  hand.  In  my  experience, 
there  has  not  been  more  than  one  swarm  in  fifty,  and 


NATURAL    SWAR.MIXvJ.  199 

perhaps  not  more  than  one  in  a  hundred,  tliat  has 
attempted  to  go  off  without  first  clustering.  The 
custom  of  tanging,  ringing  bells,  or  making  some 
hideous  noise,  has  prevailed  from  time  immemorial, 
and  still  does  in  some  places.  I  discarded  it  many 
years  ago,  finding  it  entirely  unnecessary,  and  have 
discovered  no  difference  in  the  swarms  clustering. 

When  the  place  is  selected,  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  swarm  clustered,  they  should  be  hived  imme- 
diately, as  they  soon  become  impatient,  and  other 
swarms  may  come  off  in  the  mean  time  and  unite 
with  them.  A  hivins:  stool  should  be  in  readiness 
and  kept  in  the  apiary  for  instant  use ;  one  about  two 
feet  six  inches  square,  with  posts  or  legs  at  each  cor- 
ner, making  the  stool  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches 
high.  This  is  cheap  and  simple  in  its  construction, 
and  answers  the  purpose  very  well. 

Hives  should  always  be  in  readiness  before  swarms 
are  expected.  Set  your  stool  in  a  level  position,  as 
near  as  convenient  to  where  the  cluster  hangs;  set 
the  hive  upon  it.  If  open  entirely  at  the  lower  end, 
put  a  stick  or  block  under  one  side,  to  raise  it  an 
inch  or  so  from  the  bench ;  if  it  has  a  stationary  bot- 
tom board,  with  the  entrance  at  one  side,  it  should 
be  left  open  at  least  one  inch.  If  the  swarm  has  clus- 
tered on  a  limb  that  can  be  cut  off  conveniently,  cut 
it  off  and  lay  it  gently  down,  or  rather  hold  it  against 
the  opening  left  for  them  to  go  into  the  hive ;  brush 
the  bees  which  are  next  to  the  opening  gently  with 
some  kind  of  brush  (the  feather  end  of  a  goose  quill 
is  the  best  thing  for  this  purpose) ;  when  a  few  are 


200  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

thus  induced  to  enter  they  will  very  soou  set  up  a 
call,  as  much  as  to  say,  "Eureka,"  or,  We've  found 
it,  when  all  will  very  soon  enter  and  take  possession 
of  it.  Sometimes,  however,  they  will  cluster  about 
the  entrance,  appearing  unwilling  to  enter,  when 
they  should  be  pushed  or  brushed  with  a  quill  or 
bunch  of  leaves,  or  some  water  sprinkled  over  them 
— a  very  little  is  sufficient.  This  should  only  be  used 
when  they  are  obstinate.  A  small  box  should  be  at 
hand,  into  which  they  may  be  brushed,  if  they  alight 
on  a  fence  or  a  post,  or  any  such  thing,  and  then  put 
down  gently  at  the  entrance  of  the  hive.  Should 
they  take  wing  very  rapidly  to  escape  from  the  box, 
a  cloth  thrown  over  it  will  prevent  them  from  leav- 
ing. 

When  they  cluster  on  the  limb  of  a  high  tree,  a 
long  ladder  should  always  be  in  readiness,  and  also  a 
rope,  such  as  is  used  for  a  clothes-line.  A  person 
should  ascend  the  ladder,  with  a  iine-toothed  saw  and 
one  end  of  the  rope ;  if  the  limb  is  too  heavy  to 
carry  down  in  the  hand,  pass  the  rope  over  a  limb,  if 
possible,  occupying  a  higher  position  than  the  one  on 
which  the  bees  are  clustered,  make  it  fast  to  the 
branch  occupied  by  the  bees,  an  attendant  holding 
the  lower  end  of  the  rope  ;  proceed  to  saw  off  the 
limb,  being  careful  to  jar  it  as  little  as  possible.  The 
attendant  below  can  now  lower  it  gradually  until  it 
reaches  the  ground,  when  the  bees  can  be  put  in,  as 
has  been  directed.  Should  they,  however,  cluster  in 
a  position  where  it  would  not  be  desirable  to  cut  off 
a  limb,  a  box  or  basket  should  be  used  to  brusli  them 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  201 

into,  and  then  covered  to  prevent  their  escape  until 
carried  down  to  the  hive. 

In  putting  swarms  into  our  improved  movable 
comb  hive,  the  quickest  and  easiest  plan  is  simply  to 
open  the  lid,  take  out  the  honey  board,  and  shake 
the  cluster  right  down  among  the  frames;  brush 
down  any  that  run  up  the  sides,  slip  in  the  honey 
board  gently,  to  keep  all  below ;  keep  the  entrances 
in  front  of  the  hive  open.  Those  flying  around  will 
soon  be  attracted  by  the  sound  of  those  within,  and 
will  enter.  When  all  except  a  very  few,  perhaps,  have 
entered  the  hive,  it  should  be  immediately  removed 
and  placed  upon  the  stand  where  it  is  to  remain  per- 
manentl3\  The  few  bees  flying  about  will  soon 
return  to  the  old  hive  from  whence  they  came,  so 
there  will  be  no  loss.  Care  should  be  taken  to  keep 
the  swarm  and  the  hive  in  which  they  are  put,  shaded 
from  the  sun,  during  the  time  that  elapses  from  their 
clustering  until  hived  and  removed  to  their  stand,  as 
the  hesft  annoys  them  very  much. 

HOW   TO   PREVENT    SWARMS    FROM    LEAVING    THEIR    HIVES. 

Just  as  soon  as  the  swarm  is  put  in  and  set  on  the 
bench,  if  in  a  movable  comb  hive,  go  immediately  to 
any  hive  convenient  and  take  out  a  frame,  carefully 
brushing  oif  all  the  bees  into  the  hive,  being  cautious 
that  the  queen  or  queen  cells  are  not  removed  with 
it.  Place  this  in  the  hive  containing  the  new  swarm ; 
it  don't  matter  whether  it  contains  honey  and  brood, 
or  honey  alone.  If  your  hives  are  just  the  common 
chamber  or  box  hive,  at  swarming  time  there  should 


202  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINO. 

be  more  or  less  liouey  in  the  boxes.  Take  a  box 
from  the  hive  from  which  the  swarm  issued,  and 
immediately  put  it  into  the  hive  occupied  by  the  new 
swarm. 

It  is  now  more  than  fifteen  years  since  I  adopted 
this  plan ;  my  neighbor  bee-keepers  were  taught  it, 
and  have  been  practicing  it  for  years,  and  out  of 
hundreds  of  swarms  I  have  never  known  one  to  aban- 
don its  hive,  when  a  frame  of  honey  was  put  in  or  a 
box  of  honey  put  on  top,  so  that  they  could  have 
access  to  it.  A  knowledge  of  this  alone  is  worth 
many  times  the  price  of  this  book  to  any  bee-keeper 
who  depends  on  natural  swarming  to  increase  his 
stock ;  without  it,  sw^arms  very  frequently  leave  the 
hive,  even  after  remaining  a  day  or  two.  I  have 
heard  of  them  leaving  when  they  had  combs  built 
several  inches  long.  In  California  they  seem  to  have 
a  much  greater  propensity  to  leave  in  this  manner 
than  here ;  hence  the  great  importance  of  this  dis- 
covery, if  such  it  is — at  least  I  never  heard  of  it 
or  seen  it  mentioned  by  any  author,  previous  to 
discovering  it  ourselves  (J.  S.  Harbison  was,  I  be- 
lieve, the  first  to  suggest  it),  nor  has  it  been  noticed 
since  by  any  writer,  to  my  knowledge. 

WHAT   BEES    COMPOSE   THE    SWARM. 

The  opinion  has  prevailed  to  a  very  great  extent, 
among  those  who  have  not  investigated  this  matter 
very  carefully,  that  in  the  spring  or  early  part  of  the 
season  a  litter  or  brood  is  raised  by  the  bees,  expressly 
for  the  purpose  of  being  sent  off  as  a  swarm,  some- 


NATtTRAL   SWARMING.  203 

thing  after  the  manner  of  raising  a  brood  or  flock  of 
chickens,  and  with  these  a  king,  as  many  persist  in 
calling  the  queen,  was  raised  to  lead  them  forth,  and 
to  reign  over  them,  &c.  and  that  the  old  bees, 
together  with  their  queen,  remained  quietlj  at  home 
to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labors  in  the  old  home- 
stead, while  the  young  folks  went  forth  to  find  a  new 
habitation  in  which  to  lay  up  stores  to  keep  them, 
in  turn,  when  old  age  should  advance  upon  them. 
But  here,  as  in  many  other  things,  such  opinions  are 
at  fault.  The  fact  of  the  old  queen  going  forth  with 
the  first  swarm,  has  been  so  fully  demonstrated  by 
all  reliable  authors,  and  so  fully  attested  by  all  intel- 
ligent and  observing  apiarians  whom  I  have  had 
the  pleasure  of  consulting  upon  this  point,  that  I 
will  content  mj-self  with  simply  stating  the  fact,  that 
the  old  queen  invariably  goes  out  with  the  first  sw^arm 
that  issues  from  the  hive  in  the  spring,  being  replaced 
with  a  young  one,  which  is  yet  in  an  embryo  state, 
when  the  swarm  leaves,  and  in  due  time  comes  forth  ; 
if  no  accident  occurs,  it  becomes  fertile,  supplying 
the  colony  with  eggs  and  remaining  until  the  next 
swarming  season  arrives,  when,  if  the  weather  and 
other  circumstances  are  favorable,  she  in  turn  leads 
forth  the  first  swarm. 

Instead  of  the  swarm  being  composed  entirely  of 
young  bees,  it  is  made  np  of  all  kinds  and  conditions, 
from  the  old,  with  ragged  wings  (becoming  so,  doubt- 
less, from  the  effects  of  continued  hard  labor),  to  the 
young  bee  that  had  emerged  from  the  cell  but  a  few 
hours  previous  and  scarcely  able  to  fly.     Those  that 


204  BEKS   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

have  just  returned  from  the  fields  with  pollen  on 
their  thighs,  may  also  be  seen  in  considerable  num- 
bers. One  of  the  mysteries  that  is  3'et  unexplained, 
to  me  at  least,  is,  where  the  line  of  demarcation 
exists  between  those  that  go  and  those  remaining  in 
the  hive. 

CULTIVATE    FRUIT    TREES    IN    OR    NEAR   THE    APIARY. 

It  is  very  important  to  have  low  trees  growing  in 
and  about  the  apiary,  to  furnish  suitable  places  for 
swarms  to  cluster,  and  for  convenience  in  hiving 
them.  For  this  purpose  I  would  urge  the  planting 
and  cultivation  of  fruit  trees,  which  serve  for  this 
purpose  and  will  also  produce  abundantly.  It  is  but 
little  more  trouble  to  plant  a  fruit  tree  than  to  make 
a  hole  and  set  in  a  bush ;  the  additional  cost  would 
be  but  a  few  cents ;  the  fruit  produced  would  pay  a 
generous  interest  on  the  investment,  besides  adding 
to  the  appearance  of  the  apiary.  Such  trees  should 
be  selected  as  are  of  slow  growth,  or  will  stand  fre- 
quent cutting  or  pruning.  The  apple,  quince,  pear, 
morello  cherry,  or  peach,  may  be  shortened  in  severely 
every  year.  Dwarf  trees  would  perhaps  be  preferable ; 
even  currant  bushes  would  do  very  well.  All  the 
cultivation  any  of  these  require  is  to  dig  or  spade 
around  them  occasionally  during  the  summer,  and 
give  them  a  few  shovelfuls  of  manure.  Where  tall 
trees  are  already  growing  near  the  apiar}^,  the  tops 
should  be  cut  off  so  as  to  render  them  more  conve- 
nient for  taking  down  swarms,  should  they  cluster 
on  them  ;  or  else  cut  them  down  entirely,  and  plant 
others  in  their  places. 


NATURAL  SWARMING.  205 

SWARMS   CLUSTERING. 

When  the  queeu  goes  forth  with  the  swarm,  they 
almost  invariably  cluster  on  some  bush  or  other  con^ 
venient  place,  within  five  or  at  most  ten  minutes 
after  leaving.  Mr.  Quinby  says,  perhaps  one  swarm 
in  three  hundred  will  depart  for  the  woods  without 
first  clustering.  My  experience  differs  but  little  from 
this.  About  the  year  1840  we  had  a  top  swarm  to 
issue,  and  before  they  were  half  out  they  struck  off 
in  a  line  or  stream  in  the  direction  of  a  dead  hollow 
tree,  which  stood  in  a  field  at  the  distance  of  perhaps 
forty  rods  from  the  apiary ;  a  strong  current  of  bees 
seemed  to  extend  almost  from  the  hive  to  the  tree. 
All  the  efibrts  we  could  make  to  confuse  or  change 
their  course,  by  throwing  dirt,  water,  &c.  in  the  faces 
and  eyes  of  the  advancing  column,  proved  to  be 
unavailing;  they  kept  moving  onward,  perfectly  re- 
gardless of  all  obstacles  thrown  in  their  way.  When 
they  arrived  at  the  tree  they  immediately  began  to 
alight,  and  enter  at  a  small  opening  or  knot  hole, 
some  forty  or  fifty  feet  from  the  ground.  Soon  after 
all  had  thus  entered,  we  cut  the  tree  down,  made  an 
opening  in  the  cavity  in  the  trunk,  and  put  the  bees 
into  a  hive,  removing  them  to  the  apiary  from  whence 
they  emigrated.  They  went  to  work  without  further 
trouble  and  did  well.  Since  that  time  I  have  known 
of  two  or  three  instances  exactly  similar  to  this, 
occurring  with  neighboring  bee-keepers. 

We  have  had  a  swarm  occasionally  that  evidently 
designed  leaving  without  clustering;  but  several 
assistants  being  at  hand,  through  their  combined 
18 


206  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

eiForts  in  keeping  in  advance  of  the  column,  vigor- 
ously throwing  fresh  plowed  dirt  and  water  amongst 
them,  they  became  confused,  and  finally,  after  going 
a  considerable  distance,  clustered.  This  plan  we 
have  found  the  most  efficient  to  confuse  bees  and 
induce  them  to  cluster;  yet  I  believe  that  a  shrill, 
sharp  sound  in  their  immediate  vicinity  will  prevent 
them  from  communicating  with  each  other  by  sound 
when  upon  the  wing,  which,  I  think,  they  invariably 
do;  they  become  confused,  and  in  order  to  under- 
stand each  other  they  will  cluster.  It  is  safe  to  con- 
clude that  not  more  than  one  swarm  in  a  hundred, 
or  perhaps  in  two  hundred,  will  leave  without  iirst 
clustering. 

DO   BEES    SEND    SPIES   TO    SEEK    A    NEW    HOME? 

I  think  there  is  little  doubt  that  bees,  either  before 
or  immediately  after  swarming  and  clustering,  send 
out  spies  to  find  a  suitable  place  for  the  swarm  to 
lodge  in ;  and  yet  I  much  doubt  whether  or  not  any 
uniform  practice  is  observed  by  them  in  this  matter. 
In  some  cases  they  undoubtedly  send  out  spies  before 
the  swarm  issues,  as  in  the  case  mentioned  of  the 
swarm  proceeding  to  the  tree  without  clustering  ;  in 
other  cases  it  is  equally  certain  that  spies  are  sent 
after  clustering.  Indeed,  I  am  pretty  well  satisfied 
the  latter  course  is  the  one  generally  practiced.  In 
some  cases,  however,  it  is  quite  probable  that  neither 
plan  has  been  observed. 

When  a  swarm  sets  out,  eithur  direct  from  the  hive 
or  from  where  it  lia^  been  clustered,  and  goes  in  a 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  207 

direct  line,  making  a  bee  line,  as  it  may  very  appro- 
priately be  called,  to  and  immediately  enter  the  only 
tree  for  acres  around,  perhaps,  in  which  there  is  an 
opening,  and  a  sufficient  cavit}^  to  contain  the  swarm, 
and  afford  them  shelter,  it  proves  very  conclusively, 
to  me,  at  least,  that  spies  had  visited  it  before,  and 
now  serve  as  pilots  to  conduct  the  swarm  thither. 

PLACES    GENERALLY    SELECTED    BY   SWARMS. 

Bees  have  sometimes  pitched  upon  very  singular 
places  for  their  residence,  as  in  the  carcass  of  the  lion 
slain  by  Samson,  recorded  in  the  fourteenth  chapter 
of  Judges.  The  probability  is  the  entrails  had  been 
removed  when  it  was  slain,  and  owing  to  the  peculiar 
state  of  the  atmosphere  which  prevails  in  that  and 
many  other  countries  during  the  dry  season,  the  car- 
cass of  an  animal  thus  emboweled  would  become  firm 
and  solid,  without  putrefaction  taking  place. 

In  the  year  1842,  a  swarm  of  bees  took  up  their 
abode  in  a  frame  church  near  my  residence,  entering 
at  a  crack  just  above  one  of  the  windows,  occupjnng 
the  space  between  the  weatherboards  and  plastering. 
This  made  a  very  commodious  place,  being  about 
three  or  four  feet  high  by  two  feet  wide,  between  the 
shedding,  and  four  inches  deep. 

In  1858,  a  swarm  entered  a  flue  or  chimney  of  a 
brick  house  in  Sacramento  City,  California,  where  it 
remained  and  built  a  large  amount  of  combs.  The 
owner  of  the  house  sold  it  the  following  spring  for 
fifty  dollars,  conditioned  that  the  purchaser  should 
repair  all  damage  done  to  the  house  by  removing  the 


208  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

swarm.  I  learned  it  was  transferred  into  a  hive  and 
did  well. 

I  have  heard  of  them  being  found  in  caves  and 
clefts  in  rocks,  but  of  this  I  have  no  accurate  infor- 
mation. 

Mr.  Hose,  a  very  intelligent  and  reliable  man  (now 
a  bee-keeper  and  neighbor  of  mine),  who  spent  some 
years  in  hunting  and  trapping  for  a  St.  Louis  fur 
company,  mostly  on  the  Missouri  and  tributary  rivers, 
and  near  the  Rocky  mountains,  informs  me  that  in 
those  vast  prairies  through  which  he  frequently  had 
occasion  to  pass,  he  repeatedly  found  bees  upon  the 
ground,  apparently  having  attempted  to  cross  to  some 
belt  of  timber,  but  becoming  exhausted  they  settled 
down  upon  the  grass  and  built  up  combs  in  a  conical 
shape,  in  some  cases  quite  a  large  quantity.  In  such 
instances  it  is  not  probable  that  spies  had  been  sent 
out  in  advance.  Where  timber  abounds,  the  place 
generally  selected  is  a  hollow  tree,  which  of  all  others 
seems  the  most  natural  to  the  bee  in  a  wild  state,  or 
when  permitted  to  look  out  for  themselves  in  any 
case.  In  Scotland,  in  Bonner's  time  (1795),  it  was  a 
common  occurrence  for  swarms  to  go  into  empty 
hives  that  might  chance  to  be  standing  in  the  apiary, 
and  sometimes  they  would  take  possession  of  a  hive 
in  some  neighbor's  bee  yard,  from  which  difficulties 
were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Cases  of  this  kind  are 
very  rare  in  this  country;  yet  it  is  likely  to  occur 
when  the  land  becomes  thickly  settled  and  hollow 
trees  are  scarce. 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  209 

TO  PREVENT  MORE   THAN  ONE  SWARM  STARTING  AT  A  TIME. 

In  an  apiary  of  auj  size,  two  or  more  frequently 
oome  off"  about  the  same  time  and  unite.  If  top- 
swarms,  tbis  is  a  loss;  if  after-swarms,  so  much  the 
better.  A  good  strong  swarm  is  better  than  three  or 
four  weak  ones.  This  may  be  prevented,  by  sprink- 
ling them  with  water,  which  I  found  to  answer  the 
purpose  very  well.  I  frequently  had  occasion  to  use 
it  years  before  Mr.  Quinby's  work  was  published,  yet 
I  will  here  give  his  method  of  applying  it,  which  is 
as  good  as  any.  "But  should  you  discover  the  bees 
running  to  and  fro  in  great  commotion,  although 
there  may  be  but  few  about  the  entrance,  you  should 
lose  no  time  in  sprinkling  those  outside  with  water 
from  a  watering  pot,  or  other  means.  They  will 
immediately  enter  the  hive  to  avoid  the  supposed 
shower.  In  half  an  hour  they  will  be  ready  to  start 
again,  in  which  time  the  other  may  be  secured.  I 
have  had,  in  one  apiary,  twelve  hives  all  ready  in  one 
day,  and  did  actually  swarm ;  several  of  which  would 
have  started  at  once,  had  they  not  been  kept  back 
wdth  water,  allowing  only  one  at  a  time,  thus  keeping 
them  separate.  They  had  been  kept  back  by  the 
clouds,  which  broke  away  about  noon." 

I  have  sometimes  used  smoke  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. By  blowing  it  under  or  into  the  entrance,  it 
alarms  them  and  disconcerts  their  arrangements  for 
a  short  time.  Where  many  bees  are  kept,  two  or 
more  persons  should  be^  in  attendance ;  one  should 
keep  a  sharp  look  out  to  see  if  any,  after  the  first 
one  started,  show  symptoms  of  issuing  out  soon  ;  if 
18* 


210  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINa. 

SO,  either  water  them  or  blow  smoke  into  the  en- 
trance for  a  minute  or  two,  thus  keeping  them  in 
check  whilst  the  one  out  is  being  hived.  Should  a 
second  one  come  out  when  the  first  is  partially  hived, 
a  large  cloth  or  sheet  should  be  spread  over  it  for  a 
few  minutes,  until  they  cluster  elsewhere;  or  what  is 
better,  when  our  hives  are  used  (the  entrance  being 
easily  closed,)  close  up  the  entrance  entirely  before 
there  is  any  possibility  of  the  queen  of  the  second 
swarm  entering,  being  careful  to  turn  the  tin  caps 
from  the  holes  intended  for  ventilation.  Should  they, 
persist  in  clustering  upon  or  near  the  hive,  get 
another  hive  and  put  them  in  at  once,  the  first  one 
being  still  closed  up.  When  the  majority  of  the  bees 
have  entered,  the  other  may  be  opened.  In  this  way 
the  stragglers  will  be  divided.  When  all,  or  nearly 
so,  have  entered  the  hive,  remove  them  at  once  to 
the   stand. 

The  greatest  possible  dispatch  is  necessary  in 
hiving  swarms,  when  others  are  expected  to  come 
ofif  every  minute.  Should  two  or  more  swarms,  how- 
ever, come  ofif  together,  it  is  important  to  divide 
them,  getting  a  queen  with  each,  if  possible.  This 
is  not  very  difficult,  if  an  expert  attendant  is  at  hand 
to  assist.  Take  your  watering  pot  (openings  for 
water  to  pass  through  should  be  very  small),  after 
shaking  all  down  upon  a  sheet  or  table,  sprinkle 
them  pretty  well ;  this  will  prevent  them  from  moving 
so  rapidly,  and  gives  a  good  chance  to  see  the  queen 
as  she  passes  along.  Now  set  a  hive  at  each  side,  if 
two  swarms  ;  if  more,  a  hive  for  each.     Take  a  quill 


NATURAL    SWARMING.  211 

or  brush,  and  start  them  into  the  hives,  having  sev- 
eral inches  to  travel  from  the  main  cluster  to  the 
hive.  In  this  way  an  expert  apiarian  can  certainly 
see  the  queen,  if  one  should  pass  into  the  hive. 
Watch  carefully  that  no  other  enters ;  should  one 
make  her  appearance,  catch  her  and  put  her  into  the 
other  hive ;  then  divide  the  bees  as  nearly  equal  as 
possible.  Should  you  find  but  one  queen,  mark  the 
hive  in  which  she  was  put;  and  if  either  swarm 
comes  off  a  movable  comb  hive,  examine  it  imme- 
diately to  obtain  a  comb  containing  a  queen  cell 
(care  must  be  taken  to  leave  one  still  in  the  hive) ; 
put  this  into  the  swarm  where  no  queen  was  observed, 
if  it  still  contains  enough  bees  for  a  good  sized  swarm, 
if  not,  take  some  from  the  other,  making  them  run 
the  gauntlet  to  see  that  no  queen  passes.  Shut  up 
the  hive,  being  careful  to  ventilate ;  set  it  on  the 
stand,  let  it  remain  until  a  few  minutes  before  sun- 
set, give  them  their  liberty,  when  they  will  note  their 
locality,  and  by  morning  will  go  to  work.  With  box 
hives  this  is  not  so  easily  accomplished ;  however,  it 
may  be  done  by  inverting  the  hive  which  sent  forth 
a  swarm,  where  queen  cells  will,  or  ought  to,  be 
found;  cut  one  of  these  out,  with  a  small  piece  of 
comb  attached.  If  the  swarm  is  put  in  a  box  hive, 
this  queen  cell  may  be  suspended  from  one  of  the 
holes  in  the  top  where  bees  ascend  to  the  honey  box; 
the  piece  of  comb  should  be  cut  to  fit  the  hole  nicely, 
the  cell  projecting  below  into  the  hive.  This  embryo 
queen  will  very  soon  emerge  and  supply  the  swarm, 
if  neither  of  the  old  queens  were  put  in  the  hive ; 


212  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

but  if  they  had  been  properly  divided,  the  only  loss 
■would  be  the  embrj-o  queen. 

To  sprinkle  bees  with  water  in  the  manner  de- 
scribed renders  it  quite  easy  to  tiud  the  queen ;  in 
fact,  their  motions  can  be  entirely  controlled  thereby. 
Permit  me  again  to  caution  all  who  hive  swarms  to 
keep  both  the  hive  and  cluster  well  shaded  from  the 
sun.  Hives,  before  being  used,  should  be  kept  in  a 
cool,  shady  place,  else  they  may  be  too  hot.  Be 
careful  to  ventilate  the  hive  well  when  the  swarm 
is  put  in.  Should  there  be  any  necessary  delay  after 
the  swarm  clusters  before  it  can  be  hived,  sprinkle  it 
well  with  cold  water,  which  will  keep  them  quiet  for 
some  time. 

AFTEll-SWARMS. 

Piping  (peep !  peep  !j — a  sound  emitted  by  young 
queens,  similar  to  that  made  by  a  very  young  chicken, 
only  in  a  much  liner  key — usualh-  commences  about 
the  ninth  day  from  the  issuing  of  the  first  swarm, 
and  continues  at  short  intervals  until  the  twelfth  or 
thirteenth  day.  Within  this  period  of  four  days,  if 
the  weather  is  favorable,  a  swarm  is  likely  to  issue  ; 
in  line  weather  most  probably  on  the  tenth  or 
eleventh  day.  After  the  third  night's  warning,  a 
swarm  is  likely  to  emerge  even  should  the  weather 
be  indifferent,  and  such  as  would  prevent  a  top- 
swarm  from  leaving  the  hive. 

Bevan  says :  "  Unless  the  royal  voice  can  be  heard 
about  the  period  above  stated,  no  after-swarm  will 
issue.  From  an  extensive  observation  made  by  my- 
self and    friends,   in  our  respective  apiaries,  I  may 


NATURAL   SWARMING.  213 

confidently  state,  therefore,  that  this  sign  may  be 
regarded  as  the  invariable  precursor  of  an  after-swarm, 
and  that  its  absence,  in  any  stock  from  which  a  swarm 
has  issued,  infallibly  denotes  that  its  swarming  is  over 
for  the  season. 

"I  have  said  that  the  period  at  which  piping  usu- 
ally takes  place  is  the  ninth  day  after  the  departure 
of  a  first  swarm ;  in  this  there  is,  however,  a  degree 
of  uncertainty,  depending  in  some  measure  upon  the 
state  of  the  weather,  and  perhaps  on  other  circum- 
stances. It  may  take  place  a  few  days  earlier  and 
several  days  later  than  the  average  time.  It  has  been 
known  to  occur  within  a  day  or  two  of  the  issue  of 
the  first  sw^arms,  and  it  is  by  no  means  an  uncom- 
mon thing  for  it  to  happen  as  early  as  the  seventh  or 
eighth  day  after  it;  piping  is  also  now  and  then 
delayed  to  the  fifteenth  or  sixteenth  day;  whether 
late  or  early,  it  generally  continues  the  usual  time, 
namely,  three  or  four  days,  so  that  when  deferred  to 
the  latest  period  I  have  named,  the  second  swarm  will 
not  come  forth  till  the  eighteenth  or  twentieth  day 
after  the  issue  of  the  first.  Both  these  extremes, 
however,  may  be  regarded  as  very  rare  occurrences. 

"  In  order  to  understand  the  rationale  of  what  I  have 
said,  it  is  necessary  to  advert  to  the  period  at  which  a 
young  queen  begins  piping,  namely,  as  soon  as  she 
arrives  at  maturity,  and  to  compare  this  with  the 
average  periods  of  first  and  second  swarming.  A 
first  swarm  generally  issues  soon  after  the  cells  of 
the  embryo  queens  have  been  sealed  over,  therefore 
when  the  latter  are  about  eight  daj-'s  old :  in  about 


214  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPINa. 

eight  more  they  are  mature"  (in  this  latitude,  but  in 
California  the  average  time  from  the  egg  to  the  ma- 
ture queen  is  fourteen  days) ;  "  either  then  or  on  the 
morrow  piping  usually  commences,  and  between  this 
(which  constitutes  the  ninth  day  of  the  queenless 
stock)  and  the  thirteenth  day,  the  second  swarm 
generally  takes  its  departure.  AYlien  the  weather, 
however,  and  other  circumstances  have  proved  pecu- 
liarly favorable,  a  first  swarm,  as  I  have  already 
observed,  has  been  known  to  issue  almost  imme- 
diately after  the  tenanting  of  the  royal  cells.  Several 
instances  of  this  early  departure  of  first  swarms 
occurred  under  Mr.  Golding's  observation,  in  1829, 
in  which  year  piping  did  not  commence  in  any  one 
of  his  stocks,  earlier  than  the  thirteenth  day  after 
the  departure  of  the  first  swarm. 

"  This  will  account  satisfactorily  for  the  apparently 
late  issue  of  some  second  swarms,  or  more  properly 
speaking,  for  the  time  which  intervenes  between  a 
first  and  second  swarm.  It  likewise  illustrates  the 
cause  of  the  occasional  variations  in  that  period,  and 
also  accounts  for  a  first  swarm  being  so  much  more 
particular  than  a  second  or  third,  respecting  the  state 
of  the  weather  at  the  time  it  issues.  It  has  the  whole 
period,  from  the  time  of  securing  a  royal  succession 
to  that  of  the  maturing  of  the  royal  brood,  from 
which  to  choose,  which  may  under  peculiar  circum- 
stances be  extended  to  nearly  three  weeks ;  whilst  in 
the  case  of  after-swarms,  the  embryo  queens,  in  their 
progress  to  maturity',  advance  so  closely  upon  the 
heels  of  each  other,  as  to  compel  the  bees  to  issue. 


NATUKAL   SWARMINGl.  215 

though  the  weather  be  but  indifferent,  or  to  have  the 
senior  queen  engaged  in  mortal  combat  with  her 
rapidly  maturing  rivals." 

Bevan  again  remarks :  "In  1830,  the  rapidity  with 
which  second  swarms  succeeded  the  first  was  as  re- 
markable as  their  tardiness  in  1829^  Mr.  Golding  in 
the  former  year  had  two  colonies  in  which  piping 
commenced  on  the  third  day,  and  in  one  of  them  the 
second  swarm  issued  on  the  fourth.  The  weather 
had  proved  so  very  unfavorable,  that  the  old  queens 
deferred  emigrating  as  long  as  they  well  could;" 
being  nearly  up  to  the  time  of  maturity  of  the  young 
queens. 

In  some  peculiarly  favorable  localities,  and  in  very 
propitious  seasons,  a  prime  top-swarm  v/ill  send  off 
another  swarm  the  same  season.  This  is  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  California,  and  perhaps  in  many  of  the 
Southern  States,  but  rarely  happens  here. 

"In  this  case,"  says  Mr.  Bevan,  "it  usually  occurs 
between  the  twenty-eighth  and  thirtieth  days  of  its 
establishment,  and  the  only  indication  of  the  approach 
of  such  an  issue,  besides  those  already  enumerated, 
is  the  worker  combs,  with  which  first  swarms  gen- 
erally store  their  hives,  becoming  edged  with  a  few 
drone  cells,"  in  which  drone  brood  may  be  found. 

The  apiary  should  be  carefully  watched  when  after- 
swarms  are  expected,  as  the  outside  indications  are 
not  such  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  casual 
observer.  Sometimes  they  issue  early  in  the  morn- 
ing or  late  in  the  evening.  Should  two  or  more 
second  or  third  swarms  issue  on  the  same  day,  it  is 


216  Bees  a^d  bee-keehnq. 

well  to  unite  them.  Simply  hive  them  together  and 
blow  a  few  whiffs  of  smoke  among  them.  They 
seldom  quarrel  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

But  unless  in  localities  where  the  yield  of  honey  is 
abundant,  and  such  as  to  keep  the  swarms  building 
combs  and  constantly  advancing,  with  but  little  if 
any  intermission,  from  the  time  it  is  hived  until  the 
close  of  honey  gathering  from  the  buckwheat,  I 
would  strongly  urge  the  removal  of  all  the  queen 
cells  from  the  hive  soon  after  the  first  swarms  left, 
except  one  to  supply  the  old  hive ;  and  all  hives  that 
sent  ofi*  a  swarm  should  be  examined  carefully,  from 
time  to  time,  to  see  if  the  young  queen  becomes 
fertile.  This  may  be  told  by  the  eggs  in  the  brood- 
combs,  which  is  more  fully  discussed  in  another 
place.  The  proper  and  most  profitable  course  to 
adopt  for  the  management  of  after-swarms,  depends 
entirely  upon  situation  and  circumstances.  What 
would  be  best  in  one  place  would  not  suit  another; 
hence,  it  is  necessary  for  each  apiarian  to  judge  of 
what  is  best  adapted  to  his  particular  locality. 

In  California,  in  most  localities,  a  swarm  issuing 
at  almost  any  time  is  likely  to  live  over  winter, 
although  it  may  not  entirely  fill  its  hive.  The  win- 
ters being  short  and  mild,  it  is  comparatively  easy  to 
keep  late  swarms  during  cold  weather,  and  they  will 
fill  up  and  make  good  stocks  the  next  spring.  This 
doubtless  applies  very  appropriately  to  most  of  our 
Southern  States.  Such  swarms  w^ould  be  compara- 
tively worthless  for  wintering  in  the  Northern  and 
Middle  States,  hence  it  is  quite  impossible  for  any 


TO    MAKE    BEES    PROFITABLE.  217 

writer,  from  any  given  stand-point,  to  undertake  to 
give  specific  directions  that  will  apply  with  equal 
propriety  to  all  climates  and  circumstances,  where 
bees  are  kept,  although  their  nature  and  habits  remain 
the  same. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

now  TO  MAKE  BEES   PROFITABLE  WITHOUT  RAPID  INCREASE 
OF   COLONIES. 

To  THOSE  who  wish  to  secure  a  large  yield  of  honey 
rather  than  an  increase  of  colonies,  we  recommend 
the  following  plan ;  but  to  operate  with  ease  and 
certainty,  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  bees  in  our  im- 
proved movable  comb  hives. 

"When  the  bees  begin  to  work  busily  in  the  spring, 
carefully  examine  all  your  stocks,  some  fine,  warm 
day,  by  lifting  out  each  comb.  Should  you  find  one 
scarce  of  honey  and  another  having  a  good  supply, 
exchange  combs,  being  careful  to  brush  ofi"  all  the 
bees,  each  into  their  own  hive  ;  thus  you  will  give  a 
full  comb  of  honey  to  the  one  that  lacks,  and  replace 
it  in  the  other  hive  with  the  empty  comb.  In  this 
manner  all  the  stocks  in  the  apiary  may  be  equalized. 
The  strong,  heav}^  stocks  may  be  benefited  by  re- 
moving one  or  two  combs  that  contain  onl}'  honey, 
provided  they  are  fed  as  directed,  but  not  otherwise. 
I  here  protest  against  taking  honey  from  the  hives 
at  this  season  of  the  year,  under  the  false  apprehen- 
sion that  they  have  too  much, 
19 


218  IJKES    AND    BEi:  KEEPlSCf. 

When  the  lower  part  of  the  hive  is  full,  and  combs 
well  covered  with  bees,  put  the  boxes  to  contain 
surplus  honey  into  the  chamber,  to  which  they  will 
soon  ascend  and  commence  building,  if  there  is  a 
plentiful  supply  of  honey.  If  they  have  been  prop- 
erly fed,  and  are  strong  and  vigorous  to  commence 
the  honey  harvest,  thoy  will  fill  from  one  to  two  sets 
of  honey  boxes  during  its  continuance,  which  will  be 
from  twenty-five  to  fifty  pounds  of  surplus  honey; 
and  may,  perhaps,  the  season  being  favorable,  cast 
off  a  swarm,  if  permitted.  In  this  latitude  all  after- 
swarms  should  be  prevented,  by  opening  the  old  hive 
immediately  after  the  first  swarm  issues,  and  removing 
all  the  young  queens  but  one.  This  is  much  easier 
done,  and  more  effectual,  than  returning  after-swarms 
to  the  parent  hive.  The  young  queen,  thus  left  to 
supply  the  old  hive,  is  liable  to  accident.  When  she 
takes  her  excursions  abroad  to  meet  the  drones  in  the 
air,  she  may  be  caught  by  a  bird,  or  may  miss  her 
way  to  her  own  hive  on  her  return.  I  have  on  sev- 
eral occasions  rescued  young  queens,  with  marks  of 
their  amours  upon  them,  at  the  entrance  of  hives  I 
knew  had  fertile  queens,  where  she  would  have  been 
dispatched  in  a  short  time,  but  for  my  timely  aid. 
By  a  prompt  and  careful  examination  I  have  gen- 
erally succeeded  in  finding  the  hive  where  she 
belonged.  Hence,  it  is  of  great  importance  to  guard 
against  the  loss  of  a  queen.  The  old  colony  should 
be  examined  about  ten  days  after  the  swarm  issues, 
and  every  two  or  three  days  from  that  time,  and  if 
no  eggs  are  found  by  the  eighteenth  day,  take  a  comb 


TO    MAKE    BEES    PROFITABLE.  219 

out  of  some  hive  having  a  fertile  queeu,  with  cgga 
and  3'oung  hirva  in  it,  and  give  it  in  exchange  for 
one  of  their  empty  brood-combs.  This  will  place  the 
means  in  their  reach  to  rear  another  queen,  in  case 
the  previous  one  failed.  It  can  only  be  done  success- 
fully in  a  movable  comb  hive. 

If  bees  swarm  naturally,  and  the  hive  has  been 
examined  and  the  surplus  embryo  queens  removed 
to  prevent  after-swarming,  as  directed  on  another 
page,  let  them  stand  for  a  period  of  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  days  from  the  casting  of  the  swarm,  and 
then  examine.  Most  of  the  brood  will  have  matured 
and  left  the  cells,  the  old  queen  having  led  (she  inva- 
riably does)  the  first  swarm.  The  young  one  left  to 
supply  her  place  not  yet  being  fertile,  the  combs  will 
be  found  empty,  or  nearly  so.  A  considerable  time 
may  and  generally  does  elapse  before  the  young  queen 
becomes  fertile,  and  is  able  to  replenish  the  combs 
with  eggs;  hence  much  valuable  time  is  lost.  To 
remedy  this  and  keep  all  rearing  brood  to  the  best 
advantage,  adopt  the  plan  as  directed  under  the  head 
of  "How  to  strengthen  artificial  swarms."  Simply 
change  those  combs  from  which  the  brood  has 
emerged,  where  the  colony  is  destitute  of  a  queen, 
with  a  colony  that  has  a  fertile  queen,  and  the 
combs  well  stored  with  brood,  eggs,  &c.  being  very 
careful  to  brush  oft'  all  the  eggs  from  each  before 
making  the  change,  lest  both  the  queens  should  be 
put  in  the  same  hive.  Care  should  also  be  observed 
that  no  colony  has  more  brood  than  they  can  keep 
warm  and  rear  properly. 


220  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINO. 

Permit  me  again  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of 
all  bee-keepers  who  make  artificial  swarms,  or  even 
change  combs,  as  hasjust  been  described,  the  import- 
ance of  keeping  enough  bees  upon  the  brood-combs 
to  keep  the  brood  warm,  and  to  nurse  and  bring  it  to 
maturity  ;  otherwise  the  brood  will  inevitably  perish, 
and  ere  long  become  a  putrid  mass,  entailing  loss  and 
disappointment  upon  the  owner.  With  a  reasonable 
degree  of  caution,  however,  no  danger  need  be  appre- 
hended. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

LOSS    OF   QUEENS. 

A  GREAT  many  stocks  of  bees  are  lost  every  year, 
originating  in  the  loss  of  a  queen  when  the  colony 
was  perhaps  pretty  strong,  but  destitute  of  eggs  from 
which  to  rear  another;  the  inevitable  result  of  which 
is,  that  in  a  few  weeks,  or  at  most  a  few  months, 
they  will  be  wasted  away  by  death  and  lost  by  acci- 
dent. It  is  astonishing  how  soon  even  a  strong, 
populous  colony  will  dwindle  down  to  the  last  dozen 
bees,  when  there  is  no  queen  to  replenish  the  hive. 
Quinby  says:  "I  doubt  whether  the  largest  and  best 
family  could  be  made  to  exist  six  months  without  a 
queen  for  their  renewal,  except  perhaps  through  the 
winter."  I  doubt  if  they  could  exist  even  three 
months,  in  the  summer,  without  a  queen.  So  fast  do 
they  waste  away  when  they  become  weak  and  unable 
to  protect  the  combs  from  moths,  or  to  destroy  the 


LOSS    OF   QUEENS.  221 

worms,  when  just  hatched  out  and  before  they  fortify 
themselves,  that  they  very  soon  fall  a  prey  to  their 
ravages ;  or  if  they  escape  the  worms,  tlieir  weak 
and  defenseless  situation  will  ere  long  be  discovered 
by  other  bees  in  the  apiary,  some  fine,  warm  da}', 
when  they  will  immediately  commence  to  plunder 
the  hive  of  its  honey,  accomplishing  it  in  a  very  short 
time,  exciting  them  to  such  a  degree  that  they  will 
attack  almost  any  hive  in  the  apiar3^  I  have  known 
them  in  one  or  two  instances,  when  greatly  excited 
by  having  carried  off  the  honey  from  a  defenseless 
hive,  concentrate  on  a  very  strong  and  vigorous  stock, 
and  subduing  them  in  a  very  few  minutes,  carry  off 
the  honey ;  hence  the  loss  of  a  queen  sometimes  leads 
to  very  serious  results,  entailing  heavy  loss  on  the 
owner.  Sometimes  it  extends  to  neighboring  bee- 
keepers, and  not  unfrequently  whole  neighborhoods, 
when  they  get  excited  to  robbing,  carrying  death  and 
destruction  wherever  they  go,  and  are  only  arrested 
in  their  plundering  by  a  change  of  weather. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  bee-keepers 
should  fully  understand  this  matter,  and  be  prepared 
to  guard  against  such  disasters,  which  occur  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent  every  year,  few  suspecting  the 
real  cause. 

I  have  very  frequently  heard  such  statements  as 
the  following :  "  I  lost  one  of  my  best  hives  of  bees. 
It  sent  off  two  or  three  swarms"  (as  the  case  may  be) 
"  this  summer,  and  made  two  boxes  of  honey.  It 
was  my  very  best  stock  in  the  spring  and  forepart  of 
the  summer ;  but  a  few  days  ago  I  noticed  other  bees 
19* 


222  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPINO. 

robbing  it.  When  I  came  to  examine  closely,  there 
was  only  a  mere  handful  of  bees  in  it;  there  was 
plenty  of  honey  and  bee-bread  in  it,  but  I  can't  con- 
ceive what  became  of  the  bees."  This  is  but  one 
of  many  such  inquiries  I  have  been  called  upon  to 
answer;  indeed  there  is  scarcely  a  yard  where  bees 
are  kept,  however  few,  but  lose  one  or  more  queens 
annually  from  this  cause  alone. 

CAUSE    OF    THEIR    LOSS. 

I  have  found  that  a  serious  loss  of  queens  occurs 
during  their  excursions  abroad  to  meet  the  drones  in 
the  air  for  impregnation,  when  they  are  caught  by 
birds  or  blown  down  by  high  winds ;  but  the  greatest 
loss  arises  from  mistaking  their  own  hive,  and  alight- 
ing and  attempting  to  enter  some  hive  near  it,  in  their 
return  from  their  amours,  Avhere  certain  destruction 
awaits  them,  if  not  observed  and  rescued  by  the 
apiarian,  which  is  seldom  done.  I  rescued  several 
during  the  past  summer,  and  with  a  little  care  found 
where  they  belonged,  and  j*eturned  them  safely. 

When  the  first  swarm  loaves  a  hive,  the  old  queen 
accompanies  it,  leaving  a  sealed  or  embryo  queen  to 
fill  her  place,  and  others  to  lead  any  subsequent 
swarms  that  may  issue ;  hence,  the  old  hive,  and  all 
after-swarms,  will  have  young  queens  that  must 
necessarily  go  forth  to  meet  the  drones,  and  con- 
sequently are  liable  to  be  lost.  It  is  very  important 
to  examine  all  hives  that  have  cast  a  swarm,  about 
ten  days  from  the  time  the  first  swarm  left,  and  if  no 
eggs   are  found   in  the  combs,  examine  again  and 


LOSS   OF   QUEENS.  223 

again,  at  periods  of  two  or  three  days;  if  none  are 
found  by  tlie  sixteenth  day,  the  probability  is  that 
the  queen  has  been  lost.  The  remedy  is,  to  either 
supply  them  with  an  embr^-o  queen,  if  you  have  a 
queen  nursery,  when  one  can  be  had  ;  but  when  none 
can  be  obtained,  take  out  a  frame  of  comb  from  a 
hive  that  has  a  fertile  queen,  see  that  there  are  plenty 
of  eggs  in  it,  and  exchange  it  for  an  empty  comb  in 
the  hive  which  you  suspect  has  lost  its  queen.  From 
these  eggs  they  will  rear  queens ;  but  the  same  diffi- 
culty will  exist  as  in  the  first  case  of  their  getting 
lost.  The  plan  I  have  suggested  for  strengthening 
artificial  swarms,  i.  e.  exchanging  the  combs  that  are 
destitute  of  eggs  and  brood  for  those  that  are  supplied 
with  both,  is  one  of  the  best  for  safety  and  utility. 
Such  examinations  and  exchanges  can  only  be  made 
successfully  in  movable  comb  hives ;  yet  in  common 
box  hives,  by  inverting  them  and  smoking  the  bees 
off,  and  cutting  or  breaking  out  some  of  the  combs, 
its  condition  can  be  ascertained,  and  combs  contain- 
ing eggs  inserted.  "When  this  is  done,  the  eggs 
should  be  placed  in  a  central  position  in  the  hive,  as 
the  colony  is  likely  to  be  reduced  in  numbers  and 
unable  to  maintain  sufficient  heat  to  develop  the 
young  queens,  if  otherwise  situated. 

The  superiority  of  the  now  movable  comb  hive 
over  all  other  plans  is  clearly  manifested  in  this  par- 
ticular, as  there  are  more  bees  lost  annually  by  first 
losing  their  queens  than  would  pay  the  difference  in 
the  cost  of  the  hive,  with  the  patent  right  included. 
In  this  hive  the  bee-keeper  can,  with  very  little  care, 


224  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

prevent  any  loss.  Queens  are  sometimes  lost  early 
in  the  season,  but  there  is  no  difficulty  in  supplying 
them  with  eggs  or  young  queens,  and  they  become 
fertile  at  any  time  when  there  are  plenty  of  drones 
in  the  apiary. 

INDICATIONS   OP   THE   LOSS. 

But  few  bee-keepers  will  detect  the  symptoms  that 
follow  the  loss  of  the  queen,  and  even  when  they  do 
they  are  liable  to  be  mistaken.  The  only  certain  and 
reliable  method  of  ascertaining,  is  by  an  examination 
of  tlie  combs  in  the  interior  of  the  hive.  I  give  Mr. 
Quinby's  description  of  those  symptoms,  as  it  corres- 
ponds with  my  experience ;  he  says :  "  The  next 
morning  after  a  loss  of  this  kind  has  occurred,  and 
occasionally  at  evening,  the  bees  may  be  seen  running 
about  in  the  greatest  consternation,  outside,  to  and  fro, 
on  the  sides.  Some  will  fly  off  a  short  distance  and 
return  ;  one  will  run  to  another,  and  then  to  another, 
still  in  hopes,  no  doubt,  of  finding  their  lost  sovereign. 
A  neighboring  hive  close  b}' ,  on  the  same  bench,  will 
probably  receive  a  portion,  which  will  seldom  resist 
an  accession  under  such  circumstances.  All  this  will 
be  going  on  while  other  hives  are  quiet.  Toward 
the  middle  of  the  day,  this  confusion  will  be  less 
marked ;  but  the  next  morning  it  will  be  exhibited 
again,  though  not  so  plainly,  and  cease  after  the  third 
day,  when  they  become  apparently  reconciled  to  their 
fate. 

"They  will  continue  their  labors  as  usual,  bringing 
in  pollen  and   honey.     Here  T  am  obliged  to  differ 


LOSS   OF   QUEENS.  225 

with  writers  who  tell  vis  that  all  labor  will  now 
cease.  I  hope  the  reader  will  not  be  deceived  by  sup- 
posing that  because  the  bees  are  bringing  in  pollen, 
that  they  must  have  a  queen ;  I  can  assure  you  it  is 
not  always  the  case." 

THE    RESULT. 

"The  number  of  bees  will  gradually  decrease,  and 
be  all  gone  by  the  early  part  of  winter,  leaving  a 
good  supply  of  honey,  and  an  extra  quantity  of  bee- 
bread,  because  there  has  been  no  young  bees  to 
consume  it.  This  is  the  case  when  a  large  family 
was  left  at  the  time  of  the  loss.  When  but  few  bees 
are  left,  it  is  very  different ;  the  combs  are  unpro- 
tected by  a  covering  of  bees ;  the  moth  deposits  her 
eggs  on  them,  and  the  workers  soon  finish  up  the 
whole.  Yet  the  bees  from  the  other  stocks  will 
generally  first  remove  the  honey." 

To  this  I  would  add,  as  a  preventive,  place  upon 
or  immediately  before  each  hive  that  has  cast  a 
swarm,  or  is  likely  to  have  a  young,  unimpregnated 
queen,  something  that  will  make  a  distinctive  mark, 
to  enable  her  to  distinguish  her  own  hive.  This 
precaution  is  highly  necessary,  especially  where  hives 
stand  close  together  in  the  apairy.  Care  should  be 
taken  in  removing  honey  boxes,  when  the  openings 
are  above  the  main  breeding  department,  as  the  queen 
frequently  ascends  into  them,  and  is  often  taken  ofi" 
in  this  manner  and  lost.  Each  box  should  be  marked 
before  removing,  so  it  can  be  returned  to  the  same 
place.  If  the  bees  refuse  to  leave  it  within  twenty-four 
hours  after  it  is  taken  ofi^,  which  is  a  sure  indication 


226  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

that  the  queen  is  there,  and  they  will  not  leave  her, 
the  box  should  then  be  returned,  when  she  will 
usually  descend  into  the  hive  in  a  few  hours. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

MANAGEMENT    OF    HONEY. 
PUTTING    ON    HONEY   BOXES. 

I  HAVE  found  the  best  plan  is  to  defer  putting  the 
surplus  honey  boxes  in  until  the  hive  is  full  of  bees, 
the  combs  well  covered  with  bees,  and  the  spaces 
between  the  combs  well  filled  clear  down  to  the 
bottom  of  the  hive ;  also  be  careful  to  see  that  they 
are  gathering  honey  plentifully.  They  will  fill  the 
lower  or  main  part  of  the  hive  before  ascending  to 
the  boxes;  and  should  they  remain  in  long  before 
they  are  wanted,  they  become  foul  from  the  moisture 
generated  by  the  breath  of  the  bees.  We  generally 
put  our  boxes  on  a  few  days  after  the  white  clover 
blooms;  on  the  strong  hives  first,  and  on  others  as 
they  seem  to  require  them,  until  all  are  supplied. 
When  full  boxes  are  removed  empty  ones  should  be 
put  in  their  places,  if  they  are  obtaining  honey  plen- 
tifully ;  but  if  a  small  quantity  only  is  being  gathered, 
it  is  best  to  defer  putting  any  boxes  in  until  it  again 
becomes  plenty. 

TAKING    OFF   SURPLUS    HONEY. 

As  soon  as  boxes  are  full,  and  the  honey  nicely 
capped,  they  should  be  taken  oft".     Every  day  they 


MANAGEMENT   OE   HONElf.  227 

are  permitted  to  remain,  serves  to  darken  the  honey ; 
and  if  the  honey  harvest  continues  it  is  a  serious  loss, 
as  a  day  or  two  is  quite  important  to  them  at  such  a 
time.  Sometimes  they  will  fill  boxes  in  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  days,  at  others  twice  that  time  is  required. 
The  proper  way  is  to  peep  in  through  the  glass  and 
watch  their  progress. 

In  taking  ofi"  boxes  I  prefer  using  smoke  to  drive 
the  bees  back.  Raise  your  box  a  little  with  a  strong 
knife  or  chisel,  blow  smoke  under  for  a  few  minutes, 
to  alarm  the  bees  and  drive  them  below ;  then  remove 
the  box,  and  if  desirable,  replace  it  with  an  empty 
one. 

I  prefer  taking  boxes  ofi"  in  the  evening,  and  set- 
ting them  close  together,  inverted,  in  our  honey  room. 
Place  an  empty  box,  say  a  foot  square,  or  any  other 
size,  over  some  of  the  openings  in  a  central  part  of 
your  lot  of  boxes  ;  the  bees  will  generally  collect  and 
cluster  in  this  before  morning,  w^hen  you  can  remove 
it  to  the  apiary  and  invert  it.  Each  bee  will  return 
to  its  own  hive,  except,  perhaps,  a  few  young  ones. 

Occasionally  a  box  will  have  the  queen  in  it  when 
taken  off.  If  so,  she  will  attract  bees  from  other 
boxes,  and  it  will  be  quite  impossible  to  drive  them 
out.  When  this  is  likely  to  occur,  it  would  be  well 
to  mark  each  box  as  taken  off,  so  it  could  be  returned 
with  the  queen.  Many  hives  are  lost  by  taking  the 
queen  away  in  this  manner,  and  the  cause  of  the  loss 
never  suspected  by  the  owner.  When  boxes  are 
taken  into  the  honey  room,  the  windows  and  doors 
should  be  kept  open  in  the  morning,  to  permit  all  the 


S28  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

Stragglers  to  return  to  their  hives;  but  care  must  be 
taken  to  prevent  bees  from  carrying  ojff  the  honey, 
which  they  are  very  certain  to  do  if  permitted. 

KEEPING    AND    MARKETING    HONEY. 

When  honey  is  thus  removed  from  the  care  of  the 
bees  and  set  by  in  a  hone3'-room,  where  it  will  be 
kept  warm,  as  is  generally  the  case  at  that  season, 
in  a  few  daj's  it  will  be  found  to  have  worms  in  it, 
although  it  may  have  been  closed  so  as  to  effectually 
exclude  the  miller ;  and  unless  these  worms  are 
destroyed,  they  will  very  soon  render  the  honey  unfit 
for  market. 

The  question  very  naturally  arises,  Hovs^  did  the 
worms  get  there?  Mr.  Quinby  gives  it  as  his  opin- 
ion, that  the  egg  is  carried  there  by  the  bees,  either  on 
their  feet  or  body,  having  been  deposited  near  the 
entrance ;  he  says,  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  the 
moth  passed  through  the  hive,  and  deposited  eggs  in 
the  jars  or  boxes. 

My  experience  leads  me  a  little  further  in  this 
direction.  I  have  seen,  on  several  occasions,  the 
moth  alight  near  the  entrance  of  the  hives  a  little 
after  sunset,  when  the  bees  were  standing  guard,  and 
clustered  around  the  entrance,  pass  right  amongst  the 
bees,  and  go  into  the  hive  unmolested,  the  bees 
getting  out  of  its  track,  apparently  dreading  its  touch, 
as  though  it  was  a  coal  of  fire,  not  daring  to  attack 
it!  On  one  or  two  occasions  I  immediately  opened 
the  hive  (a  movable  comb  one)  on  seeing  the  miller 
enter,  and  found  it  passing  over  the  combs  unmo 


MANAGEMENT   OP   HONEY.  229 

lested,  just  as  I  had  seen  her  pass  among  the  bees  on 
the  alighting  board.  From  this  and  other  observa- 
tions, I  think  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  the  moth 
or  miller  deposits  her  eggs  directly  in  the  combs  at 
any  point  in  the  hive  she  sees  proper,  passing  in  and 
out  at  pleasure;  and  the  only  means  of  defense 
possessed  by  the  bees,  is  to  destroy  the  worm  very 
soon  after  it  is  hatched  and  begins  to  feed  upon  the 
comb,  and  before  it  has  encased  itself  in  a  web  or 
cocoon. 

I  am  aware  that  the  opinion  prevails  amongst  bee- 
keepers (and  it  is  but  an  opinion),  and  is  also  asserted 
by  most  of  our  authors,  that  the  bees  of  strong  colo- 
nies prevent  the  miller  from  entering  the  hive,  and 
consequently  all  the  eggs  found  in  the  hive  were 
carried  there  accidentally  by  the  bees.  Although  I 
always  doubted  this,  yet  in  the  absence  of  proof  to 
the  contrary,  I  received  it  as  being  possible ;  but 
thought  it  very  strange  that  the  bees  should  be  so 
careless  as  to  carry  destruction  into  their  own  hive. 
Consequently,  I  have  observed  pretty  closely  to  learn 
the  true  state  of  the  case,  which  has  led  to  the  dis- 
covery as  stated.  As  a  further  proof,  take  a  comb,  or 
piece  of  one,  from  any  part  of  the  strongest  colony, 
in  July  or  August,  and  inclose  it  so  carefully  that  it 
is  quite  impossible  for  any  insect  to  reach  it ;  keep  it 
warm,  and  in  a  few  days  it  will  be  found  to  be  pol- 
luted by  worms,  just  as  we  find  them  in  honey  boxes. 
Now  it  requires  a  great  stretch  of  the  imagination 
to  suppose  that  all  the  eggs  from  which  these  worms 
are  produced  are  carried  by  the  bees,  and  deposited 
20 


230  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

80  nicely  in  every  part  of  the  combs,  even  in  the  ab- 
sence of  positive  proof. 

It  is  true,  I  have  very  frequently  seen  the  miller 
in  the  evening  alight  near  the  entrance  of  hives 
without  apparently  designing  to- enter,  and  the  bees 
would  run  after  it  around  the  stool,  or  on  the  sides 
of  the  hive  ;  but  it  was  generally  like  a  sheep  running 
after  a  dog,  whenever  it  would  turn,  the  bees  would 
give  way  and  get  out  of  its  track. 

HOW    TO    KILL   WORMS    IN    HONEY. 

I  here  give  Mr.  Quinby's  method  of  killing  worms 
in  honey  boxes.  I  had  practiced  it  to  some  extent 
prior  to  seeing  his  work,  but  cannot'describe  it  better 
than  by  giving  his  own  language.  He  says :  "  Per- 
haps you  may  find  one  box  in  ten  that  will  have  no 
worms  about  it,  others  may  contain  from  one  to 
twenty  when  they  have  been  oiF  a  week  or  more. 
All  the  eggs  should  have  a  chance  to  hatch,  which 
in  cool  weather  may  be  three  weeks."  (In  warm 
weather  all  will  hatch  in  ten  days  or  less.)  "  They 
should  be  watched,  that  no  worms  get  large  enough 
to  injure  the  combs  much,  before  they  are  destroyed. 
Get  a  close  barrel  or  box  that  will  exclude  the  air  as 
much  as  possible ;  in  this  put  the  boxes  with  the 
holes  or  bottom  open,"  turned  downward.  Arrange 
them  nicely,  leaving  a  space  in  one  corner  to  set  "  a 
cup  or  dish  of  some  kind,  to  hold  sulphur  matches 
while  burning.  (They  are  made  by  dipping  rags  or 
paper  into  melted  sulphur.)  AVlien  all  is  ready, 
ignite  the  raatxjhes,  and  cover  close  for  several  hours. 


MANAGEMENT    OF   HONEY.  231 

A  little  cai'O  is  required  to  have  it  just  right:  if  too 
little  is  used,  the  worms  are  not  killed ;  if  too  much, 
it  gives  the  combs  a  green  color.  A  little  experience 
will  soon  enable  you  to  judge.  If  the  worms  are  not 
killed  on  the  first  trial,  another  dose  must  be  adminis- 
tered," which  will  effectually  destroy  all  the  worms. 
JS^ow  keep  the  millers  out. 

PACKING  HONEY  BOXES  TO  CARRY  TO  MARKET. 

I  have  used  pack  boxes  13  inches  deep  by  14  wide, 
and  about  2  feet  7  inches  long;  lids  put  on  with  2 
inch  butts,  and  a  common  chest  lock ;  a  cleat  or  strip 
nailed  on  each  side,  projecting  beyond  the  box  about 
4  inches,  to  form  handles,  securely  nailed  about  4 
inches  from  the  top.  A  man  at  each  end  could 
handle  these  boxes  very  conveniently  and  safely. 
They  will  contain  ten  boxes  of  honey,  6  by  6  inches 
square  and  13  inches  long,  (which  is  about  the  com- 
mon size),  or  twenty  boxes  6  inches  square,  leaving 
room  at  the  sides  and  ends  to  secure  the  boxes  firmly 
in  their  places,  by  putting  slips  of  board  or  shingles 
down  at  the  ends  of  the  boxes  and  at  the  end  of  the 
pack  box.  IsTo  hammering  should  be  done,  as  it  will 
loosen  the  combs.  When  thus  packed  they  will 
weigh  from  120  to  140  lbs.  They  may  be  taken  to 
any  desired  distance,  either  in  spring  wagons,  rail 
road  cars  or  boats,  if  carefully  handled  when  loading 
or  unloading.  Be  careful  to  have  them  returned, 
and  they  will  serve  for  several  years. 

If  honey  is  kept  on  hand  for  any  length  of  time,  it 
should  never  be  in  a  cellar  or  damp  place,  but  invari- 


232  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPINO. 

ably  in  a  perfectly  dry,  well  ventilated  room.  The 
boxes  should  be  kept  closed  perfectly  tight  to  prevent 
flies,  roaches  or  moths  from  entering. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


ENEMIES   OF   BEES. 


The  two  greatest  enemies  of  bees  are,  first,  the 
general  ignorance  of  mankind  of  their  natural  habits, 
requirements  and  proper  mode  of  management  to 
render  them  assistance  when  needful,  and  supply  their 
wants  when  required ;  in  keeping  them  in  hives  un- 
suited  to  their  natural  wants,  and  in  an  unprotected 
manner  both  from  the  weather  and  from  insects ;  and 
in  taking  honey  from  them  and  permitting  them  to 
starve  the  next  spring  for  want  of  it.  On  these  points 
man  (although  not  intending  it),  becomes  a  great 
enemy  to  bees.  The  moth  and  worm  have  been  and 
are  great  pests  to  bee-keepers,  and  great  enemies  of 
bees;  yet  since  Ave  have  been  using  our  improved 
movable  comb-hives,  and  found  the  efficacy  of  feed- 
ing bees,  thereby  keeping  them  strong  and  vigorous, 
we  experience  but  little  loss  or  trouble  from  the 
worms.  So  long  as  a  colony  is  properly  organized 
and  has  plenty  of  honey,  they  will  protect  themselves. 
But  should  the  worms  make  a  lodgment  in  any  of 
our  hives,  lift  out  each  comb  separately,  and  destroy 
all  that  can  be  found;  then  feed  the  colony  with  a 
little  syrup  or  honey,  to  stimulate  the  bees  to  greater 


ENEMIES    OF   BEES.  233 

activit}'.  If  they  have  a  queen,  they  will  generally 
keep  the  worms  from  making  further  inroads  upon 
them.  The  great  majority  of  hives  of  bees  that  arc 
eaten  up  or  destroyed  by  the  worms,  as  is  generally 
supposed,  is  either  from  the  loss  of  the  queen,  and 
consequently  the  disorganization  of  the  colony,  or 
else  the  bees  have  become  discouraged  from  lack  of 
provisions,  starvation  staring  them  in  the  face.  In 
either  case,  they  will  permit  the  worms  to  work 
away  unmolested,  until  they  will  finally  take  pos- 
session of  the  entire  hive.  Yet  it  is  simply  the 
efiect  of  another  cause,  and  not  the  cause  itself,  al- 
though generally  blamed  on  the  worms.  High,  cold 
winds  arising  suddenly  when  bees  are  abroad,  destroy 
large  quantities  of  them.  Birds  also  catch  and  de- 
vour some ;  toads,  mice  and  rats  destroy  a  portion, 
and  spiders  spread  their  nets  to  annoy  and  catch  them. 

IRRITABILITY    OP   BEES. 

Bees  should  be  kept  a  little  retired  from  the  walks 
frequented  by  persons  or  beasts  of  any  kind,  as  they 
sometimes  become  annoying.  The  scent  of  a  person 
perspiring  freely  is  very  offensive  to  them.  It  is  also 
dangerous  to  bring  a  horse  wet  with  sweat  very  near 
to  bees  in  warm  weather,  as  it  annoys  them  exceed- 
ingl}',  and  there  is  great  danger  of  the  horse  being 
stung  to  death.  The  season  of  their  greatest  irrita- 
bility is  July  and  August,  when  the  weather  is 
warmest  and  they  have  plenty  of  honey  to  guard. 

If  the  directions  given  in  the  chapters  on  conquer- 
ing bees  and  protection  against  being  stung,  are 
20* 


234  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

observed,  all  needful  operations  can  be  performed 
with  but  little  danger.  In  regard  to  remedies  to  al- 
lay the  pain  or  to  prevent  swelling  when  stung,  I 
never  use  any,  and  know  of  nothing  that  will  always 
give  relief.  Sometimes  saleratus  or  soda,  applied 
immediately,  will  alleviate  the  pain,  but  it  as  often 
fails.  The  poison  is  generally  inserted  so  deep  that 
it  is  hard  to  reach  with  any  remedy  in  time  to  give 
relief. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

OVERSTOCKING. 
CAN  THE   COUNTRY   BE    OVERSTOCKED   WITH   BEES  ? 

I  ANSWER  emphatically.  Yes,  it  can  !  and  permit  me 
here  to  say,  that  whoever  argues  to  the  contrary  is 
either  attempting  to  mislead  and  deceive  the  people 
or  is  himself  deceived.  Whilst  I  am  willing  to  ad- 
mit that  in  almost  any  region  of  country  where  bees 
are  kept,  more  honey  is  produced  at  certain  times 
during  the  season  than  there  are  bees  to  gather  and 
store  it,  yet  if  there  were  enough  bees  to  fully  gather 
at  such  times,  they  would  starve  and  perish  at  other 
periods  when  but  little  is  produced. 

But  let  us  see  how  the  matter  stands.  From  the 
opening  of  spring  until  about  the  tenth  of  June, 
there  is  but  a  limited  amount  of  honey-producing 
flowers,  enough,  perhaps,  to  supply  thirty  or  forty 
colonies  to  the  square  mile,  and  enable  them  to  ad- 
vance reasonably  well  until  the  clover  season,  when 


OVERSTOCKING.  235 

there  would  be  more  honey  than  they  could  gather. 
Now  suppose  there  were  four  times  that  number  to 
the  square  mile,  what  would  be  the  result  ?  I  think 
my  experience  will  justify  me  in  assuming  that  one 
out  of  every  eight  would  die  from  starvation,  and 
one-third  of  those  surviving  would  be  in  a  feeble 
condition  when  the  clover  harvest  arrived,  and  con- 
sequently it  would  require  several  weeks  to  recruit 
their  numbers  and  store  the  hive  with  honey,  without 
yielding  any  profit  either  in  swarms  or  surplus  honey 
during  the  clover  season,  and  probably  none  within 
the  year. 

This  is  not  a  fancy  sketch.  I  have  had  just  such 
experience,  and  know  well  what  I  say.  It  is  true, 
that  by  feeding  bees  properly  during  this  period  with 
syrup,  or  by  cultivating  flowers,  very  large  quantities 
of  bees  may  be  kept ;  but  I  think  it  must  be  apparent 
to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  bees,  like  any  other 
stock,  requires  a  certain  quantity  of  food  simply  to 
enable  them  to  live  without  making  any  improve- 
ment, and  that  it  requires  a  certain  amount  more 
to  make  them  improve  and  be  profitable.  It  is  also 
evident  that  any  given  district  of  country  produces  a 
certain  amount  of  honey  each  year,  and  if  a  due  pro- 
portion of  bees  is  kept  in  that  district,  they  will  do 
well ;  but  if  the  proper  bounds  are  exceeded,  loss  and 
disappointment  will  inevitably  be  the  result. 

Any  district  can  be  overstocked  with  bees,  on  the 
same  general  principle  that  it  may  be  overstocked 
with  cattle  or  sheep.  But  this  applies  more  directly 
to  extensive  apiaries.     Where  but  a  few  colonies  are 


236  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

kept  by  a  family,  there  is  little  danger  of  getting 
too  many  in  any  district.  Those  who  design  estab- 
lishing large  apiaries  Avonld  do  well  to  seek  locations 
where  tliey  would  have  a  wide  range,  and  not  keep 
more  than  one  hundred  colonies  in  any  one  place, 
nor  less  than  three  miles  between  such  apiaries. 

It  may  seem  presumptuous  in  me  to  assume  a 
position  so  different  on  this  question  to  that  arroga- 
ted by  Rev.  Mr.  Langstroth  in  his  work,  but  upon 
examining  it  carefully,  I  have  failed  to  find  a  single 
word  of  his  own  experience  related  in  this  matter. 
Ilis  whole  argument  to  show  that  this  country  cannot 
be  overstocked  with  bees,  is  founded  on  statements 
made  by  certain  German  authors,  of  the  vast  quanti- 
ties kept  in  Germany,  giving  the  number  in  each 
apiary  at  from  two  hundred  up  as  high  as  five  thou- 
sand colonies,  and  those  but  a  short  distance  apart; 
and  in  some  parts  of  Holland  as  many  as  two  thou- 
sand colonies  are  kept  to  the  square  mile. 

Had  Mr.  Langstroth  given  us  a  reliable  statement 
of  the  resources  of  those  districts  for  producing 
honey,  the  kinds  of  flowers  that  abound  there ;  if 
there  is  a  uniform  succession  of  flowers  sufficient  to 
supply  all  the  wants  of  the  bees  from  early  spring 
until  late  in  the  fall,  it  would  have  greatly  aided 
American  bee-keepers  in  arriving  at  the  truth  in 
this  matter,  and  tended  to  correct  error,  if  such 
exists.  However  true  those  statements  may  be  as 
regards  Germany,  I  think  they  cannot  with  propriety 
be  applied  to  any  part  of  the  United  States,  at  least 
any  portion  I  have  seen,  and  T  have  visited  manv  of 


OVERSTOCKINe.  237 

the  States  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  I  fear 
such  statemeuts  will  lead  many  to  incur  loss  and  dis- 
appointment. 

One  of  two  things  is,  I  think,  very  evident :  either 
that  those  countries  are  cultivated  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  produce  immense  quantities  of  honey-producing 
flowers,  greatly  exceeding  any  thing  in  this  country, 
or  else  these  statements  are  overdrawn  and  exagge- 
rated. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  making  some  extracts  from  an 
article  which  appeared  in  the  Ohio  Farmer,  written 
by  Mr.  Quinby,  in  reply  to  an  article  by  E.  J.  Stur- 
tevant.  Mr.  Quinby  says :  "  I  was  much  interested 
in  the  article  of  E.  J.  Sturtevant,  that  appeared  some 
months  since  in  the  Farmer,  and  very  much  regret 
that  I  could  not  be  fully  satisfied  with  his  reasoning. 
The  subject  is  one  in  which  I  am  deeply  interested. 
Myself  and  partner  have  bees  in  ten  different  apiaries, 
that  are  distant  from  each  other  some  two  or  three 
miles.  In  spring  they  average  about  seventy  stocks 
in  each.  Each  of  these  yards  requires  the  attention 
of  a  man  constantly  during  the  middle  of  the  day, 
through  the  swarming  season,  some  five  or  six  weeks. 
There  is  also  much  travel,  cartage  of  hives,  boxes  of 
honey,  &c.  Now  if  we  could  bring  all  these  bees 
into  two  or  three  yards,  there  would  then  be  a  much 
less  number  to  the  square  mile  than  is  said  to  be 
kept  in  many  places  in  Europe,  and  we  could  save  a 
hundred  or  two  (dollars,  I  suppose,)  by  the  change. 

"I  will  offer  some  reasons  why  I  dare  not  do  so, 
notwithstanding  the  strong  authorities  against  me.    I 


238  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

am  aware  that  Mr.  S.  is  supported  by  Langstroth, 
Wagner  and  others,  and  I  fear  relies  too  much  on 
their  support.  Notwitlistanding  their  testimony  may 
be,  as  he  says,  perfectly  reliable,  it  may  not  be  appli- 
cable to  this  country,  or  at  least  our  section  of  it. 
There  are,  according  to  Mr.  Wagner,  the  gentleman 
who  furnished  much  matter  for  Mr.  Langstroth,  trans- 
lated from  the  German,  in  the  honej'^-raising  countries 
of  Europe,  many  crops  cultivated  that  produce  great 
quantities  of  honey,  which  are  unknown  here.  In 
this  country  three  principal  sources  of  honey  are 
clover,  bass-wood  and  buckwheat;  where  all  three 
abound  there  must  be  a  good  district  for  bees,  yet 
but  few  places  produce  all  in  abundance.  The  yield 
from  bass-wood  is  of  the  shortest  duration,  and  that 
from  white  clover  the  most  valuable.  Without  one 
of  these  sources  at  hand  as  a  dependence,  it  would 
be  a  useless  effort  to  try  to  keep  more  than  a  very  few 
stocks.  There  are  many  other  honey -yielding  flowers 
that  are  particular  favorites  with  bees.  The  red  rasp- 
berry, motherwort,  catnip,  and  a  few  others,  alone 
would  be  visited  to  the  entire  neglect  of  clover,  if 
they  were  in  sufficient  abundance ;  yet  I  never  saw 
enough  of  them  in  anyone  locality  for  large  apiaries. 
It  is  evident  to  all,  that  however  much  honey  these 
flowers  may  furnish,  there  is  a  limit  to  the  suppl}' ; 
and  when  there  are  bees  enough  to  take  all  that  is 
secreted,  if  any  more  is  introduced  into  the  same 
field  each  bee  must  obtain  a  less  quantity.  Twenty 
hives  might  prosper  greatly  and  store  a  surplus ;  yet 
one  hundred  might  starve  in  the  same  place." 


OVERSTOCKING.  239 

Mr.  Quiuby  continues  to  say:  "I  would  advise  a 
little  caution  in  this  matter.  First,  the  ability  of 
your  district  to  support  its  hundreds,  gradually  and 
safely,  or  some  unfavorable  season  may  bring  about 
very  disastrous  results.  Now,  if  b}'  expressing  these 
views  I  should  discourage  any  from  attempting  bee- 
culture,  I  can  only  regret  it ;  it  is  my  experience, 
and  may  be  of  service  to  some  that  are  disposed  to 
rashness.  All  the  experience  and  knowledge  that 
can  be  had,  ought  to  be  clearly  set  forth  for  the  benefit 
of  the  new  beginner. 

"If  we  in  this  country  cannot  keep  one  hundred 
and  forty  stocks  to  the  square  mile,  we  can  keep  a 
less  number ;  enough,  at  least,  in  most  places,  to  pay 
better  for  money  invested  and  labor  bestowed,  than 
with  any  other  kind  of  stock.  I  say  this  after  an 
experience  of  over  thirty  years.  'The  half-loaf  is 
better  than  no  bread.'  Do  not  refuse  one  thousand 
dollars  because  it  is  not  two.  Obtain  the  requisite 
instruction  for  the  proper  management  of  bees,  and 
success  will  follow  as  a  matter  of  course." 

To  this  I  would  add,  when  you  find  jonv  bees  are 
not  advancing  and  thriving  as  they  should  do,  take 
it  for  granted  that  it  is  for  want  of  suitable  pasturage 
or  food.  Proceed  at  once  to  supply  them,  either  by 
feeding  in  the  manner  I  have  directed,  or  by  flowers 
raised  for  their  especial  benefit.  It  is  much  easier  to 
cultivate  and  produce  enough  pasturage  in  addition 
to  that  from  natural  sources,  to  supply  one  hundred 
hives  of  bees,  than  it  is  to  provide  pasturage  for  one 
hundred  head  of  sheep,  and  the  profit  on  bees  will 
more  than  double  that  of  sheep. 


940  BEES  AND  BEE-KEEPINQ. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

WATERING   BEES. 

When  bees  are  building  combs  rapidly,  they  seem 
to  require  a  considerable  amount  of  water.  They 
may  be  seen  in  large  quantities  about  watering 
troughs,  pumps,  springs  or  streams  of  water,  collect- 
ing it.  When  a  supply  is  not  convenient  to  the 
apiar}^  it  will  pay  to  make  a  shallow  trough,  as 
described  for  feeding  bees  in ;  put  in  a  lot  of  gravel, 
sand,  &c.  and  renew  the  water  daily,  leaving  the 
gravel,  stones  and  dirt  partly  exposed.  This  enables 
the  bees  to  get  the  water  without  fear  of  being 
drowned. 

It  is  supposed  by  some  writers  that  bees  use  the 
water  entirely  for  the  young  brood,  as  well  as  for 
themselves ;  others  think  it  is  used  principally  in 
comb  building.  It  may  be  used  for  both,  yet  I  know 
that  they  can  and  do  rear  brood  without  a  drop  of 
water  !  I  have  also  known  bees  to  live  for  forty- 
eight  days  (part  of  the  time  in  a  very  warm  latitude 
and  part  where  it  was  moderately  cold,  but  not  suffi- 
cient to  condense  moisture,)  without  having  a  single 
drop  of  water,  yet  they  were  healthy  and  in  good 
conditio!).  Another  fact  is,  that  during  the  month 
of  May  and  the  early  part  of  June,  there  is  quite  as 
much  brood  raised  as  at  any  other  part  of  the  season ; 
but  as  a  general  thing  very  little  comb  is  built ;  yet 
there  is  not  one  bee  collecting  water  during  this  time 
for  every  ten  that  may  be  seen  a  little  later  in  the 


WATERING   BEES.  241 

season,  say  the  last  of  June,  July  and  August,  when 
the  largest  amount  of  comb  is  built. 

I  have  failed  to  discover  bees  collecting  water  in 
warm  days  in  winter  and  early  in  the  spring,  with 
that  avidity  and  eagerness  described  by  Mr.  Lang- 
stroth.  Whatever  his  bees  may  or  may  not  do,  I  am 
quite  well  satisfied  that  our  bees  do  nothing  of  the 
kind.  When  they  fly  out  on  warm  days  in  winter, 
and  early  in  the  spring,  they  are  weak  and  feeble, 
and  will  alight  on  any  object  around,  such  as  boards, 
fences,  grass,  or  on  the  ground,  and  many  on  the 
snow,  if  any  still  lies  on  the  ground.  Now  will  any 
observing  apiarian  pretend  to  say  that  the  object  of 
these  bees  is  to  collect  water  ?  If  they  do  make  such 
assertions,  all  that  is  necessary  to  expose  its  fallacy, 
is  to  simply  observe  the  actions  of  such  bees.  Any 
man  of  common  sense  and  ordinary  judgment,  with- 
out any  practical  knowledge  as  a  bee-man,  can  detect 
the  error  of  such  statements.  They  alight  apparent- 
ly because  they  are  unable  to  fly  any  farther  until 
they  void  their  fseces  and  recover  strength  to  resume 
their  flight.  Thousands  get  chilled  if  the  wind  is 
cool,  and  never  rise  to  return  to  the  hive. 

Bees  may  frequently  be  seen  collecting  something 
on  the  ground,  and  even  in  moist  places,  on  warm 
days  in  spring.  I  have  observed  them  closely,  the 
result  of  which  is  very  accurately  described  by  Mr. 
Quinby,  as  follows :  "  During  warm  days,  while  wait- 
ing for  the  flowers,  the  bees  are  anxious  to  do  some- 
thing. It  is  then  interesting  to  watch  them  and  see 
what  will  be  used  as  substitutes  for  pollen  and  honey. 
21 


242  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

At  such  times  I  have  seen  hundreds  engaged  on  a 
heap  of  saw-dust,  gathering  the  minute  particles  into 
little  pellets  on  their  legs,  seeming  quite  pleased  with 
the  acquisition."  Thus  we  iind  that  water  is  not  the 
object  of  their  search  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

In  regard  to  giving  bees  water  in  winter,  or  that 
they  suffer  for  want  of  it,  I  think  it  a  mistake.  I 
have,  in  common  with  some  other  apiarians,  been 
endeavoring  to  discover  some  sure  method  of  absorb- 
ing and  carrying  off  the  moisture  that  is  generated 
by  the  breath  of  the  bees  during  cold  weather,  and 
condenses  on  the  sides  and  top  of  all  hives  made  of 
wood  (when  wintered  in  the  open  air),  in  hard  freez- 
ing weather.  "When  it  moderates,  this  frost  or  ice 
melts  and  runs  down  over  the  bees  and  combs,  wet- 
ting them ;  and  if  it  suddenly  becomes  cold  again 
whilst  thus  damp  or  wet,  the  bees  are  certain  to  per- 
ish. My  experience  has  been  that  this  wet  or 
moisture  is,  and  has  ever  been,  the  most  serious  dif- 
ficulty to  contend  with  in  wintering  bees  in  the  open 
air.  Hundreds  and  thousands  of  colonies  are  lost 
yearly  from  this  cause  alone. 

Mr.  Quinby,  and  various  other  eminent  apiarians, 
have  been  striving  for  many  years  to  devise  some 
plan  to  free  the  bees  from  the  effects  of  this  accumu- 
lation of  water,  some  in  one  way  and  some  in  an- 
other. Mr.  Q.  has  succeeded  by  keeping  his  bees  in 
a  warm  room.  I  have  succeeded  by  applying  straw 
in  the  form  of  mats  to  absorb  this  water,  that  it  may 
be  carried  off,  as  described  in  the  chapter  on  winter- 
ing bees.     Yet  whilst  this  has  been  going  on,  we  are 


WATERING   BEES.  24B 

gravely  told  by  Mr.  Langstroth,  seemingly  upon  the 
authority  of  certain  German  authors,  and  perhaps  a 
few  superficial  observers  for  perhaps  one  or  two 
years,  and  without  experimenting  himself  to  prove 
the  truth  or  fallacy  of  the  theory,  that  bees  suffer 
much  for  want  of  water  during  winter,  and  he  urges 
the  necessity  of  giving  them  water;  which  I  fear 
will  lead  many  inexperienced  bee-keepers  into  diffi- 
culty, and  result  in  loss  and  disappointment. 

After  reading  Mr.  Langstroth's  articles  on  the  ne- 
cessity of  giving  bees  water  in  the  winter,  I  thought 
it  possible  I  was  mistaken,  and  that  under  some  pe- 
culiar circumstances  water  might  be  necessary.  With 
a  view  of  ascertaining  the  opinions  of  others  that  I 
knew  had  experimented  fo7'  themselves,  and  also  to  ar- 
rive at  the  facts  in  the  case,  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Quinby, 
to  know  what  his  experience  and  views  were  respect- 
ing it,  and  find  they  coincide  exactly  with  my  own. 
I  herewith  give  his  letter  in  fall  in  reply  to  my  inter- 
rogatories : 

MR.    QUINBY's   letter    ON    WATERING    BEES. 

St.  Johnsvillk,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  4th,  1860. 

Mr.  Harbison  :  Bear  Sir — In  regard  to  the  neces- 
sity of  giving  bees  water  during  winter,  I  cannot  say 
at  present  that  m}'  views  are  in  accordance  with  those 
set  forth  by  Mr.  Langstroth  on  pages  342,  343  and 
346  of  his  last  edition.  I  fear  his  remarks,  and  the 
translation  from  tlie  German,  by  Mr.  Wagner,  will 
give  very  many  inexperienced  bee-keepers  much  un- 
necessary trouble.     A  constant  supervision  is  indi- 


244  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

cated  as  necessary  to  safely  take  the  bees  through  the 
wiuter.  I  do  not  remember  as  any  plan  was  given 
to  keep  up  a  supply  without  attention.  As  a  dearth 
of  water  is  represented  as  the  cause  of  much  loss,  of 
course  those  who  take  this  theory  for  fact,  and  ex- 
pect success,  must  have  some  trouble  to  provide  for 
these  wants. 

Not  dreaming  that  water  was  essential  to  the  health 
of  the  bees  in  winter,  I  have  for  the  last  twentj'-live 
years  used  my  utmost  endeavors  to  get  rid  of  all 
moisture  about  the  hive,  and  I  have  succeeded  as  ef- 
fectually as  any  one.  When  put  in  the  house,  I  open 
the  holes  in  the  top  of  the  hive  and  then  invert  it  on 
sticks  ;  a  constant  circulation  of  air  through  the  hive 
carries  with  it  all  the  moisture  generated — the  combs 
remaining  perfectly  dry,  and  as  far  as  I  can  discover, 
the  bees  are  perfectly  healthy.  Instead  of  its  being 
a  general  loss  with  this  method,  I  have  wintered  hun- 
dreds of  stocks  with  a  loss  of  less  than  two  per  cent. 
Why  others,  who  take  no  pains,  comparatively,  to 
ventilate,  should  suffer  so  much  more  in  losses  than  I 
do,  I  cannot  comprehend ;  that  is,  with  this  theory. 

Many  years  ago  I  became  fulli/  satisfied  that  nine- 
tenths  of  all  the  ffood  colonies  lost  in  winter,  was  in 
direct  consequence  of  confining  this  moisture  to  the 
hive.  The  experience  of  every  subsequent  year, 
gives  additional  proof  to  the  idea. 

Respecting  the  particles  of  candied  haney  found  on 
the  bottom  board,  as  indicating  suffering  for  water — 
mentioned  by  Mr.  L. — I  have  been  unable  to  arrive 
at  a  similar  conclusion  ;  because,  whenever  the  room 


WATERING    BEES.  '240 

in  which  they  were  wintered,  was  cold  enough  to 
candy  the  honey,  I  have  invariably  found  the  greater 
part  of  it,  after  the  bees  were  set  out,  and  when  they 
had  abundant  opportunity  to  get  water.  These  par- 
ticles may  l)e  seen  at  any  time  during  spring,  when 
the  bees  do  not  obtain  sufficient  honey  from  the 
flowers  for  themselves  and  brood,  and  are  necessitated 
to  draw  on  their  old  stores.  This  seems  very  plain 
without  the  theory  of  wanting  water,  as  may  be  read- 
ily seen.  In  each  cell  only  a  part  of  the  honey  can- 
dies ;  the  bees  can  swallow  only  the  liquid  por- 
tion, and  must  reject  the  other;  this  may  be  the  case, 
although  they  fly  out  daily.  When  the  temperature 
of  the  hive  becomes  sufficiently  warm  to  liquefy  this, 
it  is  no  longer  to  be  found. 

I  rather  suspect  that  Mr.  L.  has  depended  very 
much  on  the  testimony  of  others,  in  this  matter  of 
wintering  bees.  In  his  first  edition  of  the  "Hive 
and  IIoney-Bee,"  in  1853,  he  recommended  what  he 
called  a  "protector,"  asvert/  important.  In  his  second 
edition,  he  abandoned  that  plan,  as  not  likely  to  pay, 
and  suggested  "special  depositories."  To  show  the 
advantages  of  this  method,  he  quoted  Dzierzon,  and 
several  pages  from  me,  explaining  the  manner  of 
ffettinff  rid  of  this  water.  And  now  two  or  three 
years  later,  he  supposes  water  is  absolutely  essential. 

In  all  our  rural  aflfairs  there  is  no  branch  where 
there  are    more    conflicting  theories   than    in    bee- 
culture,  especially  wintering  them.     ISTo  one  can  be 
sure  till  he  makes  a  few  experiments  of  his  own. 
Yours,  truly, 

21*  M.    QUINBY. 


246  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 


CIIArTER  XX. 

SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA. 

To  SHIP  bees  successfully  to  so  great  a  distance, 
and  through  such  a  diversity  of  climate  as  is  experi- 
enced on  the  steam  ship  route  to  California,  via  the 
Isthmus  of  Darien,  at  Panama,  required  a  pretty 
correct  knowledge  of  the  habits  and  peculiarities  of 
the  bee,  combined  with  untiring  care  and  watchful- 
ness on  the  part  of  those  who  made  the  first  successful 
shipments  of  bees  to  California,  when  the  experiment 
was  a  hazardous  one,  the  expenses  being  so  exorbi- 
tant at  that  time,  and  the  undertaking  fraught  with 
such  serious  obstacles.  The  experience  that  has  been 
had  for  the  last  three  years,  with  the  present  low 
rates  of  passage  and  freights,  renders  their  shipment 
now  comparatively  easy,  and  many  are  engaged  in  it. 
Bees  have  been  sold  at  high  rates  in  California,  and 
doubtless  will  continue  to  sell  at  very  remunerative 
prices  for  years  to  come,  from  the  fact  that  the  climate 
is  highly  favorable,  as  well  as  that  of  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territories,  Carson's  Valley,  Utah,  &c. 

All  of  this  vast  extent  of  country  abounds  with  an 
endless  variety  of  flowers,  producing  immense  quan- 
tities of  honey.  An  enterprising  people  is  pouring 
in  and  settling  up  this  domain  of  the  United  States, 
developing  its  vast  mineral,  agricultural  and  pastoral 
resources.  It  has  been  proved  by  actual  experiment, 
that  bees  increase  very  rapidly  there,  and  yield  large 
quantities  of  surplus  honey,  from  seventy-five  to  one 


SHIPPING   BEES   TO   CALIFORNIA.  247 

hundred  pounds  to  the  hive  during  one  season,  Avhich 
has  sold  at  retail  very  readily  for  one  dollar  per 
pound.  Good  hives  of  bees  have  been  disposed  of 
for  one  hundred  dollars  each.  As  the  number  in- 
creases and  the  country  becomes  supplied,  prices  will 
doubtless  recede ;  yet  so  great  is  the  extent  of  country 
to  be  supplied,  that  I  apprehend  that  prices  for  first- 
class  stocks  will  not  fall  below  fifty  dollars  for  the 
next  three  or  four  years.  At  this  price,  or  as  low  as 
twenty-five  dollars  per  hive,  bee-keeping  on  the 
Pacific  coast  would  be  one  of  the  very  best  invest- 
ments and  employments  that  a  man  could  be  en- 
gaged in. 

The  immense  quantities  of  honey  that  will  be 
required  to  supply  the  vast  mining  population  of 
California  and  the  fleets  of  steamers,  clipper  ships, 
whalers  and  other  vessels  that  obtain  their  supplies 
of  provisions  at  San  Francisco  and  other  ports  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  will  absorb  all  that  can  possibly  be  pro- 
duced and  find  its  way  to  market,  and  demand  high 
prices,  although  bees  may  be  increased  b}^  importa- 
tions and  swarming  as  rapidly  as  possible,  for  several 
years  yet  to  come. 

I  am  also  informed  that  a  demand  for  bees  is 
springing  up  in  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Premiums 
have  been  oflfered  to  those  who  would  first  introduce 
these  valuable  insects  into  those  salubrious  and  pro- 
ductive islands,  which  are  quite  accessable  from  the 
Pacific  coast,  being  but  twelve  to  fifteen  days  voyage 
from  San  Francisco,  by  sailing  vessels,  and  much  less 
by  steamers;  hence,  I  believe  that  the  bee  trade  of 


248  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

the  Pacilic  will  continue,  and  increase  in  value  and 
importance  until  it  exceeds  any  other  enterprise  of  a 
similar  kind  in  the  world.  In  fact,  if  we  consider 
the  great  difticulties  of  first  introducing  bees  to  Cal- 
ifornia, the  immense  amount  of  capital  that  has  been 
and  now  is  invested  in  the  various  departments  of 
the  business,  the  energy  and  enterprise  manifested 
by  those  engaged  in  it,  together  with  the  highly 
favorable  results  attending  it  in  the  shape  of  profits, 
it  is,  I  apprehend,  without  a  parallel  in  the  history 
of  bees  in  any  age  of  the  world.  Those  engaged  in 
it  that  have  been  most  successful,  first  divested  them- 
selves of  all  preconceived  notions  and  traditions, 
scattered  broadcast  over  the  land,  and  availed  them- 
selves of  every  improvement  and  suggestion  that 
gave  promise  of  advancement  in  the  science  of 
bee-keeping;  hence  we  find  many  men  in  California, 
of  comparatively  short  experience  as  apiarians,  that 
are  now  able  to  teach  nineteen-twentieths  of  our  bee- 
keepers in  the  Atlantic  States  how  to  keep  and 
manage  bees  to  make  them  yield  the  greatest  profits. 
My  observations  lead  me  to  believe  that  but  com- 
paratively few  persons  who  keep  bees  in  the  Atlantic 
States,  are  fully  aware  of  the  profits  that  may  and 
ought  to  be  realized  from  their  bees,  if  properly 
managed.  This  will  apply  to  almost  every  locality 
east  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  Adopt  the  same 
measures  here  that  have  been  practiced  by  bee-keep- 
ers in  California ;  go  at  it  with  the  same  zeal,  energy 
and  perseverance  there  exhibited,  and  it  will  become 
one  of  the  most  productive  sources  of  wealth  which 


SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA.        249 

our  couutiy  affords.  Whilst  our  politicians  and 
statesmen  are  wrangling  about  slavery  and  protective 
tariffs,  this  source  of  national  wealth,  which  in  the 
aggregate  is  scarcely  of  secondary  importance  to 
either  of  them,  is  neglected  or  overlooked  by  the 
great  mass  of  the  people. 

NO    liEES   IN    CALIFORNIA   PRIOR   TO    ITS    CONQUEST    AND 
SETTLEMENT   BY   THE   AMERICANS. 

Many  persons  have  inquired  of  me  if  there  were 
honey  bees  in  California  prior  to  its  conquest  and 
settlement  by  the  Americans,  and  the  discovery  of 
gold.  It  is  pretty  well  known  to  have  been  settled 
under  the  direction  of  Franciscan  monks ;  large 
missionary  establishments  were  organized  at  many 
of  the  most  prominent  points  in  Upper  California, 
nearly  one  hundred  years  ago ;  yet  the  discovery  of 
gold  and  the  introduction  of  bees  was  reserved  for 
the  Americans  in  the  nineteenth  century. 

I  can  only  conjecture  what  are  the  reasons  why 
uo  bees  were  found  there  until  recently.  In  the  first 
place,  the  honey  bee  is  not  indigenous  to  the  Amer- 
ican continent,  but  was  imported  from  Europe  by  the 
colonists  who  settled  near  the  Atlantic  coasts,  at  an 
early  period  in  the  history  of  America.  Those  early 
imported  colonies  increased  very  rapidly.  Many 
swarms  would  doubtless  fly  off  and  locate  in  some 
hollow  tree  in  the  forest ;  these  in  turn  would  send 
out  swarms,  and  thus  they  would  increase  in  geome- 
trical progression,  spreading  over  the  country  in  every 
direction,  generally  keeping  in  advance  of  civiliza- 


250  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

tiou,  being  called  by  the  Indians,  the  white  mau's  fly. 
Whilst  the  country  remained  in  a  wild  state,  nature 
furnished  vast  quantities  of  honey-producing  flowers, 
one  variety  succeeding  another  in  great  profusion, 
from  early  spring  until  late  in  the  fall,  which  enabled 
bees  to  multiply  and  spread  over  the  country  very 
rapidly.  Their  motto  it  seems  partakes  somewhat 
of  the  spirit  of  Young  America  in  their  migratory 
wanderings.  "Westward,  ho  !"  is  their  watchword. 
I  will  here  mention  a  circumstance  that  I  believe 
is  not  noticed  by  any  other  writer.  I  have  never  yet 
observed  a  swarm  of  bees  flying  past  me  (and  I  have 
seen  many),  apparently  in  search  of  a  home,  nor 
indeed  have  I  heard  of  one,  but  that  was  going  either 
westward  or  southward  ;  although  the  country  where 
I  have  made  these  observations  is  a  timber  one,  with 
no  perceptible  difference  in  any  direction.  This  fact  is 
significant.  I  have  no  doubt  they  have  spread  both 
to  the  north  and  east,  yet  the  great  tide  of  emigra- 
tion is  to  the  west  and  south,  until  they  have  reached 
the  last  outskirts  or  belts  of  timber  found  between 
the  Missouri  river  and  the  Rocky  mountains.  Here 
their  progress  westward  seems  to  have  been  effectu- 
ally checked  by  those  vast  prairies  and  deserts,  to- 
gether with  the  Ilocky  and  Sierra  Nevada  mountains, 
which  intervene.  It  would  seem,  and  no  doubt  has 
been,  quite  impossible  for  them  to  pass  those  gigan- 
tic barriers  and  reach  (unaided  by  man)  the  flowery 
plains  of  California.  That  they  have  made  the  at- 
tempt I  have  no  doubt.  The  Mr.  Rose  spoken  of  in 
another  part  of  this  work,  informs    me  that  many 


gUIPflNG   BEES   TO   CALIFORNIA.  25J 

miles  westward  of  any  timber,  on  those  vast  prairies 
between  the  Missouri  and  Rockj  mountains^  he  has 
found  swarms  of  bees  that  had  evidently  iiown  until 
exhausted,  and  settled  down  in  the  grass,  and  there 
built  a  pyramid  of  combs  during  summer ;  but  being 
in  so  unprotected  a  condition,  they  would  doubtless 
be  destroyed  by  the  rains  and  storms  of  winter,  or 
by  the  bears,  who  are  fond  of  honey ;  if  indeed  they 
should  escape  destruction  by  the  autumnal  fires  that 
annually  sweep  over  those  plains. 

It  is  related  by  Col.  Fremont,  that  when  he  was 
on  one  of  the  highest  peaks  of  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains a  bee  came  to  him  and  flew  around,  apparently 
as  an  omen  of  good;  but  it  was  what  is  called 
(improperly  so,)  a  humble  bee,  and  not  one  of  our 
domestic  honey  bees. 

Natural  obstructions  are  equally  great  to  prevent 
bees  from  reaching  California  from  the  south  (from 
Mexico,)  by  way  of  the  Colorado  river.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  country  in  that  direction  is  sterile,  and 
of  such  a  character  that  bees  could  not  exist  in  it  or 
pass  over  it.  Hence  I  conclude  that  it  was  quite 
impossible  for  bees  of  themselves  to  reach  California. 
The  time  required  to  make  the  voyage  from  an}' 
Atlantic  port,  either  in  Europe  or  America,  via  Cape 
Horn,  was  so  great,  that  bees  would  certainly  perish 
before  their  arrival,  if  indeed  the  effort  was  ever 
made  by  those  early  missionaries.  The  difliculty  of 
transporting  them  across  the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  and 
thence  by  sea  to  California,  would  involve  a  greater 
amount  of  labor  and  difficulty   than   Spaniards  in 


252  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEPtNG. 

those  early  times  were  willing  to  undertake.  This 
would  also  apply  to  taking  them  by  land  from  the 
Mexican  States  to  California* 

One  of  two  things  is  certain,  either  that  the  effort 
was  never  made  by  those  early  Spanish  settlers  to 
import  bees  to  California,  or  if  it  was  made,  it  proved 
to  be  a  failure;  for  none  were  found  when  the  Amer- 
icans took  possession  of  California,  nor  in  fact  for 
some  years  afterward. 

THE    FIRST   STOCK    OF   BEES    IN   CALIFORNIA. 

In  February,  1853,  Mr.  C.  A.  Shelton,  formerly  of 
Galveston,  Texas,  sailed  from  New  York  with  twelve 
hives  of  bees  (in  which  it  is  said  Commodore  Stock- 
ton and  G.  W.  Aspinwall  were  interested) ;  he  arrived 
at  San  Francisco  in  March,  with  but  one  living  col- 
ony, eleven  having  died  whilst  in  transit.  This  was 
the  pioneer  hive  of  bees  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Mr. 
Shelton,  with  his  hive  of  bees,  took  passage  on  a  little 
steamer  from  San  Francisco  to  Alviso ;  on  the  trip 
she  burst  her  boiler,  killing  several  persons,  Mr. 
Shelton  being  of  the  lamented  number;  but  his  bees 
escaped  unhurt,  and  were  taken  to  San  Jose,  where 
they  did  well. 

OTHER   SHIPMENTS. 

Some  time  during  the  autumn  or  winter  of  1864, 
Messrs.  Buck  and  Appleton,  of  San  Jose,  received 
the  next  swarm  of  bees  that  arrived  in  California. 
In  the  fall  of  1855,  my  brother  and  partner  in  busi- 
ness, J.  S.  Harbison,  sent  east  by  a  friend  who  was 
making  a  visit,  for  a  hive  of  bees,  which  he  received 


SHIPPING   BEES   TO   CALIFORNIA.  253 

in  Sacramento  the  first  of  February,  1856.  But  a 
very  small  colony,  with  the  queen,  survived  the  long 
voyage,  and  with  proper  care  they  increased  and  did 
well.  The  result  of  this  experiment  clearly  demon- 
strated the  fact,  that  if  properly  prepared  and  carefully 
handled,  bees  could  be  successfully  imported  in  large 
quantities,  and  if  once  therCj  that  they  would  increase 
rapidly  and  produce  large  quantities  of  honey.  With 
this  assurance,  he  returned  home  in  June,  1857. 
Being  advised  by  letter,  we  had  commenced  to  pre- 
pare stocks  in  a  suitable  manner  for  shipment.  He 
completed  the  preparation  after  his  arrival,  and  again 
started  for  the  land  of  gold,  sailing  from  New  York 
on  the  fifth  of  E"ovember,  with  sixty-seven  colonies. 
On  arriving  at  Aspinwall,  circumstances  being  favor- 
able, he  opened  the  boxes  and  permitted  the  bees  to 
fly  out  and  clean  themselves,  which  no  doubt  greatly 
assisted  in  preserving  their  health  during  the  rest  of 
the  voyage.  He  arrived  safely  at  Sacramento  on  the 
first  of  December,  having  lost  but  five  colonies  on  the 
way ;  others  had  been  reduced  in  numbers  until  quite 
weak.  By  uniting  all  such  together,  making  strong 
stocks  at  the  expense  of  numbers,  they  were  reduced 
to  fifty ;  sixteen  of  these  were  sold,  leaving  but  thirty- 
four,  which  were  increased  during  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer to  one  hundred  and  twenty,  all  of  which  were 
sold  during  the  fall  and  winter,  except  six,  yielding  a 
handsome  profit  on  the  investment. 

This  was  the  first  large  and  successful  shipment 
of  bees  made  to  California.    Others  were  made  about 
the  same    time,   but  with  very  indifferent   success ; 
22 


254  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEtlNG. 

which  was  owing,  to  a  great  extent,  to  the  want  of 
practical  knowledge  on  the  part  of  those  having  them 
in  cliarge. 

HOW   OUR   FIRST   SHIPMENT   WAS   PREPARED. 

Boxes  were  made  of  boards  fths  thick,  one  foot 
square  and  six  inches  high.  Into  these  the  combs, 
bees  and  all,  were  transferred  in  June,  when  honey 
was  plenty  and  young  queens  matured  readily.  The 
combs  were  cut  to  fit  neatly  into  these  boxes,  leaving 
proper  spaces  between,  and  braced  with  strips  of 
wood,  being  careful  to  have  combs  in  each  box  that 
had  eggs  in.  The  bees  were  now  divided  and  a  por- 
tion put  in  each  box,  there  being  enough  comb  and 
bees  in  an  ordinary  sized  hive  to  fill  two  or  three  of 
these  boxes.  Those  that  were  without  queens  sup- 
plied themselves  from  eggs  found  in  the  combs.  In 
this  way  we  found  no  difiiculty  in  making  nearly  an 
average  of  three  well  organized  little  colonies  from 
one  old  stock.  Any  spaces  left  for  want  of  combs 
were  filled  in  by  the  bees  themselves;  they  also 
fastened  up  the  old  combs  thus  transferred  from  the 
old  hive,  very  nicely  and  securely.  Being  permitted 
to  work  in  these  boxes  from  June  until  the  close  of 
the  season,  they  were  well  stored  with  honey  and 
pollen  for  their  long  journey,  and  in  a  compact,  port- 
able shape 

To  these  boxes  we  added  another  box  at  the  side 
(when  packing  them  up  to  ship),  three  inches  by  six, 
and  one  foot  long,  having  first  made  a  large  opening 
in  the  side,  and    securing  these   boxes   by  tacking 


SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA.        256 

strips  ou  either  side.  This  served  as  a  vacant  cham- 
ber for  the  bees  to  occupy  when  suffering  from 
extreme  heat  in  hot  latitudes.  Proper  openings  were 
made  on  each  side,  and  covered  with  wire  cloth,  to 
give  a  current  of  air  through  the  box,  which,  with 
the  addition  of  the  vacant  air  chamber,  is  twelve  by 
fifteen  inches  long  and  six  inches  in  height.  Two 
of  these  formed  one  package,^  one  set  on  top  of  the 
other,  being  covered  with  oiled  cloth  to  keep  out  wet, 
and  securely  fastened  with  heavy  twine,  forming  a 
loop  at  the  top,  which  served  as  a  handle  to  carry 
them  by.  A  package  of  this  kind,  consisting  of  two 
colonies,  measures  less  than  one  and  a  half  cubic 
feet,  being  a  great  saving  over  ordinary  sized  hives, 
as  freight  and  charges  arc  estimated  by  the  foot  from 
New  York  to  San  Francisco,  and  at  such  high  rates 
that  every  foot  saved  in  size  is  important. 

Our  improved  movable  comb  hive  being  perfected 
by  J.  S.  Harbison,  of  the  firm  of  W.  C.  &  J.  S.  Har- 
bison, soon  after  arriving  with  the  bees  they  were 
transferred,  and  worked  in  them  very  successfully  and 
satisfactorily. 

SECOND    SHIPMENT,   HOW   PREPARED. 

Our  first  shipment  of  bees  to  California  being 
successful  and  profitable,  we  resolved  to  prepare  a 
larger  lot,  and  ship  them  the  following  year,  but  in 
a  little  different  form  from  the  first  lot,  retaining  the 
same  general  principles  in  a  more  convenient  and 
practical  shape ;  in  short,  we  determined  to  transfer 
bees,  with  their  combs,  &c.  from  common  box  hives 


256  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

into  the  improved  movable  frames  of  the  proper  size 
to  fit  the  hives,  thirteen  inches  in  height  by  twelve 
in  width. 

Havino-  received  a  model  of  the  frame  and  suitable 
box  for  shipping,  I  had  boxes  made  of  boards  fths 
thick,  fourteen  inches  square  and  twenty  inches  long, 
with  a  partition  in  the  centre,  making  a  convenient 
receptacle  for  two  colonies  with  six  frames  in  each, 
having  a  cross-bar  -with  gains  cut  in  it  for  the  projec- 
tion of  the  upper  part  of  the  frame  to  rest  in,  leaving 
a  vacant  space  or  chamber  at  front  edge  of  the  frames 
of  one  and  one-half  by  ten  inches  wide,  and  four- 
teen deep.  At  the  foot  or  opposite  angle  of  the  frame 
a  cross-bar,  with  gains  cut  in  it  to  receive  the  tenon  of 
the  frame,  was  nailed  in  the  bottom,  which  held  the 
frames  firmly  in  their  place.  Openings  for  the  bees 
to  pass  in  and  out  were  made  for  one  colony  in  front 
and  one  in  the  rear.     The   lid   was   left    movable. 

Having  boxes  and  frames  thus  prepared,  I  com- 
menced, in  the  last  week  of  May,  to  transfer  bees 
from  box  hives  into  these  frames,  fastening  the  combs 
with  metallic  braces,  dividing  the  combs,  bees,  &c. 
so  as  to  make  two  colonies  from  one.  Those  des- 
titute of  a  queen  would  supply  themselves  (in  the 
manner  described  in  the  chapter  on  rearing  queens). 
Some  of  these  I  again  divided  during  the  season, 
making  three  and  in  some  cases  four  colonies  from 
one  old  stock,  dry  combs  being  supplied  to  some 
extent  from  other  sources.  They  continued  to  work 
in  these  small  boxes  during  the  remainder  of  the  sea- 
son, storing  them  well  with  provision  for  the  winter. 


SHIPPING    BEES    TO    CALIFORNIA.  257 

A  part  of  the  shipment  I  thus  prepared  here  and 
the  balance  was  prepared  in  the  same  manner  at 
Ceutralia,  Illinois,  by  A.  Harbison,  and  shipped  from 
thence  to  New  York.  Preparatory  to  shipping,  the 
lids  were  nailed  down  ;  wire  cloth  was  tacked  over 
the  openings  to  ventilate  properly  ;  oiled  muslin  was 
put  over  the  top  to  protect  them  from  being  injured 
by  rain  or  spray ;  heavy  twine  was  rove  around  the 
box,  about  the  middle  of  each  division,  and  again 
lengthwise,  forming  a  loop  or  top  for  convenient 
handling.  Two  colonies  thus  prepared  were  but 
little  larger  than  one  ordinary  sized  hive,  and  of  con- 
venient portable  shape. 

I  decided  to  accompany  this  shipment,  and  spend 
a  few  months  in  California,  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
serving the  elfects  of  so  great  a  change  of  climate  and 
circumstances,  and  increasing  my  knowledge  of  the 
habits  and  peculiarity  of  the  honey  bee.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  loth  of  November,  1858,  in  company 
with  my  brother,  J.  S.  Harbison^  we  started  in  charge 
of  our  bees  to  New  York,  en  route  for  California. 
On  reaching  New  York  we  found  the  steamship 
Moses  Taylor  was  to  sail.  Being  quite  small,  and  not 
aftbrding  suitable  deck  room  for  the  safety  of  bees, 
we  concluded  to  remain  until  the  departure  of  the 
next  steamer,  causing  a  delay  of  two  weeks  On  the 
6th  of  December,  however,  we  sailed,  and  after  a 
pleasant  voyage  arrived  at  Aspinwall  on  the  13th. 
Whilst  in  the  Caribbean  sea,  the  bees  suffered  con- 
siderabl}^  from  the  extreme  heat.  We  kept  an  awn- 
ing suspended  over  them,  to  protect  them  from  the 
22* 


258  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

hot  sun,  and  had  them  arranged  in  tiers  on  the 
hurricane  deck,  so  that  a  current  of  fresh  air  was 
constantly  passing  between  and  around  them.  At 
Aspinwall  we  had  them  placed  in  an  express  car  to 
cross  the  Isthmus,  and  obtained  permission  to  remain 
in  the  car  with  them,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the 
side  doors  open  to  give  a  free  circulation  of  air.  Ar- 
rived at  Panama,  they  were  placed  in  an  open  boat  or 
lighter,  which  was  taken  in  tow  b}'  a  steam  tug  and 
run  alongside  the  steamship,  which  lay  at  anchor 
some  three  miles  from  the  dock.  We  had  them  care- 
fully handled,  and  kept  them  shaded  from  the  sun ; 
but  so  intense  was  the  heat,  that  they  suffered  very 
much.  Had  they  been  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of 
the  sun,  the  combs  would  have  melted  in  a  few  min- 
utes. We  sailed  from  Panama  on  the  morning  of 
the  15th,  and  arrived  off  Cape  St.  Lucas  on  the  24th, 
where  we  met  cold,  chilly  winds,  making  it  necessary 
to  close  up  our  bees  a  little,  and  shelter  them  from 
the  weather;  without  this  precaution  they  would 
have  been  seriously  affected  by  the  sudden  change 
from  extreme  heat  to  cold.  Arriving  at  San  Fran- 
cisco on  the  evening  of  the  29th,  we  shipped  on 
steam  boat  for  Sacramento,  and  reached  there  on  the 
morning  of  the  31st. 

The  bees  had  remained  in  close  confinement  all  this 
time,  forty-seven  days.  "We  found  but  eleven  dead 
out  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen,  one  hundred  and 
three  having  survived  the  long  and  tedious  voyage. 
This  number  we  reduced  by  uniting  those  that  had 
become  weak,  making  one  strong  stock  from  two  or 


SHIPPING  BEES  TO  CALIFORNIA.    .    259 

more  weak  ones.  We  lifted  each  comb  out  of  the 
boxes,  and  after  cleaning  them  carefully,  transferred 
bees  and  all  into  hives  that  were  prepared  to  receive 
them ;  the  frames  fitting  nicely,  it  required  but  a  few 
minutes  to  transfer  a  colony.  Thus  in  a  short  time 
we  had  them  working  in  clean  new  hives.  We  fed 
them  syrup  daily  whilst  a  scarcity  of  honey  existed 
(in  the  manner  described  in  the  chapter  on  feeding), 
which  caused  them  to  breed  very  rapidly. 

After  the  close  of  our  sales  of  bees,  we  had,  on  the 
fifteenth  of  March,  1859,  sixty-eight  colonies,  which 
we  reserved  as  stock  to  propagate  from ;  this  stock 
was  increased  during  the  summer  to  four  hundred 
and  twenty-two,  by  dividing,  or  artificial  swarms, 
without  a  single  natural  swarm  in  the  whole  lot! 
being  an  increase  of  five  and  one-fifth  from  each  col- 
ony, all  of  which,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  were 
strong,  well  filled,  vigorous  stocks  for  wintering.  Of 
this  number  two  hundred  and  eighty-four  were  sold 
at  one  hundred  dollars  each.  The  remaining  one 
hundred  and  thirty-four  colonies  we  retained  to  prop- 
agate from  during  the  present  summer  of  1860. 

PECULIARITIES    OF   BEES   IN    CALIFORNIA. 

Whilst  in  California,  I  visited  all  the  principal 
bee-keepers  in  the  State,  although  scattered  over  a 
great  district  of  country.  I  found  bees  every  where 
prospering  and  increasing  beyond  any  thing  I  had 
ever  before  seen  in  any  of  the  Atlantic  States.  The 
moth  or  worms  appear  harmless,  aficcting  the  bees 
but  little,  although  they  seem  sufficiently  numerous 


260  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

to  levy  contributions  on  them  there  as  extensively  as 
in  the  older  States.  The  reason  I  assign  for  the 
difference  is,  the  nights  are  quite  cool,  when  the 
days  are  hot,  sufficiently  so  to  chill  the  miller  and 
retard  her  in  her  nocturnal  excursions  for  depositing 
eggs,  as  night  is  the  time  she  selects  for  this  purpose. 
Another  reason  is,  there  is  a  continuous  succession 
of  honey-producing  flowers,  keeping  the  bees  en- 
couraged, vigorous  and  healthy  during  the  season 
when  most  infested  by  worms,  and  consequently  they 
will  defend  themselves  more  warmly  against  their 
attacks. 

I  noticed  two  peculiarities  in  the  natural  history 
and  habits  of  the  bee  in  California.  The  first  is,  that 
all  young  bees  come  to  maturit}''  from  two  to  four 
daj^s  sooner  than  they  do  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
other,  that  the  swarms  have  a  much  greater  propen- 
sity for  flying  away  and  seeking  homes  for  themselves 
than  in  the  Atlantic  States.  These  are  problems  for 
naturalists  to  solve ;  I  merely  state  the  facts,  leaving 
my  readers  to  judge  of  the  cause. 


AUTUMN. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

ROBBING. 

At  any  time  of  year,  from  the  first  warm  days  in 
spring  until  the  close  of  warm  weather  in  the  autumn, 
when  little  if  any  honey  can  be  obtained  abroad  in 
the  fields,  bees  are  apt  to  rob.  The  times  when  most 
danger  is  to  be  apprehended,  is  early  in  the  spring 
and  late  in  the  autumn ;  the  most  serious  losses  in 
this  region  of  country  have  been  after  the  close  of 
the  buckwheat  season.  The  prime  moving  cause  has 
been,  as  far  as  my  observation  extends,  the  loss  of 
queens,  in  the  manner  described  in  the  chapter  on 
loss  of  queens.  Bees  from  other  hives,  when  honey 
becomes  scarce  abroad,  and  they  are  yet  anxious  to 
add  to  their  supplies,  find  out  those  disorganized  and 
feeble  colonies,  destitute  of  queens,  well  knowing 
that  they  will  make  but  little  resistance,  and  com- 
mence to  carry  off  their  honey.  When  they  get 
fairly  started,  all  the  bees  in  the  apiary  will  take 
part,  and  in  a  few  hours  become  so  much  excited 
(and  this  excitement  often  extends  to  neighboring 
apiaries),  as  to  attack  even  very  strong  hives,  conquer 
them  and  carry  off"  their  honey.  In  this  case  a  furious 
battle  generally  ensues,  before  a  well  organized  col- 
ony will  submit  to  be  thus  plundered. 

(261) 


262  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

CAUSE   OF   ROBBING. 

The  principal  cause  of  robbing,  is  the  desire  to 
increase  their  stores  of  honey,  so  strongly  implanted 
in  the  nature  of  the  bee.  Like  the  miser  and  dis- 
honest man,  so  long  as  their  treasures  are  being  filled, 
all  is  well,  no  matter  from  whence  it  comes  or  how 
unjustly  it  may  be  acquired. 

When  the  flowers  cease  to  supply  honey,  and  the 
weather  is  warm,  bees  are  constantly  out  searching 
in  every  direction  for  it,  and  hence  they  are  easily 
attracted  by  a  hive  standing  in  the  apiary  with  honey, 
the  bees  of  which  are  unable  to  protect  it.  This  is 
the  most  common  cause  of  fatal  robberies.  A  dish 
of  honey,  or  even  a  box  or  comb,  exposed  carelessly 
until  they  find  it,  and  thus  become  excited,  often 
starts  them  to  robbing ;  or  carelessly  feeding  a  weak 
colony  with  either  honey  or  syrup,  readily  attracts 
them.  Colonies  thus  fed  should  be  kept  closed  up, 
so  that  not  more  than  one  or  two  bees  could  pass  at 
one  time.  In  fact,  when  feeding  bees,  it  is  well  to 
do  it  in  the  evening,  when  it  will  generally  be  taken 
up  during  the  night  and  stored  away,  obviating  any 
danger  from  this  source. 

HOAV   TO   PREVENT   ROBBING. 

But  little  danger  need  be  apprehended  from  rob- 
bing, if  all  the  stocks  in  the  apiary  are  properly  cared 
for  and  examined,  upon  the  least  suspicion  of  the 
loss  of  the  queen,  or  of  having  become  weak  from 
any  other  cause,  and  applying  the  proper  remedy  in 
time.     In  short,  if  bee-keepers  will  give  their  bees 


ROBBING.  26S 

pi'Opef  care  and  attention,  such  as  has  been  indicated 
and  directed  in  this  treatise,  there  is  very  little  dan- 
ger of  loss  from  this  cause. 

HOW   TO   DETECT   ROBBING. 

"When  bees  get  fairly  started  robbing,  there  is  no 
mistaking  the  fact.  They  will  be  gathered  thick 
around  the  hive,  seeking  an  entrance  at  every  crack 
or  joint,  and  will  be  seen  in  considerable  quantities 
in  an  excited  manner  at  the  first  onset,  fighting  even 
after  the  bees  of  the  hive  have  ceased  to  make  re- 
sistance. They  sometimes  engage  in  combat,  as  I  sup- 
pose, when  bees  from  other  hives  make  their  appear- 
ance to  claim  a  part  of  the  prey  which  those  first 
in  possession  rightly  claim  as  their  own.  When 
robbers  are  carrying  ofi"  honey,  it  can  be  detected  by 
watching  those  that  pass  out.  If  they  fly  as  if  heavy 
laden,  you  ma}^  take  it  for  granted  that  they  are 
robbing ;  but  if  they  leave  the  hive  in  a  straight  line, 
nimble  and  light,  which  they  generally  do  whilst  in 
legitimate  pursuits,  it  is  good  evidence  that  all  is  welL 
Robbers  may  be  known  by  their  buzzing  around  in  a 
thieving  manner,  and  peeping  in  at  the  cracks  of  the 
hive,  as  if  spying  out  the  condition  of  their  neighbors. 

REMEDY. 

When  you  first  discover  a  propensity  to  robbing, 
be  careful  to  close  up  the  entrance  of  all  weak  stocks, 
so  that  not  more  than  one  or  two  bees  can  pass  at 
one  time.  If  the  robbers  collect  in  numbers  at  any 
one  hive,  sprinkle  flour  over  them,  and  then  watch 


S64  BEES   AND   BEE-KEEMNG. 

carefully  and  find  the  hives  to  which  they  belong. 
It  is  generally  strong  stocks  that  commence  first.  If 
the  proper  hives  can  be  found,  shut  them  up  closely, 
to  prevent  their  ingress  or  egress,  being  always  care- 
ful to  ventilate  the  hive  to  admit  plenty  of  air,  lest 
they  be  smothered.  Let  them  stand  shut  up  thus 
until  near  sunset,  when  those  that  are  abroad  will 
enter;  in  the  mean  time  they  will  be  on  the  alighting 
board  and  around  the  hive,  seeking  to  enter,  but  no 
danger  or  loss  will  ensue  from  this  cause. 

When  they  have  got  fairly  started  to  rob,  and  the 
whole  apiary  is  in  an  uproar,  the  only  reliable  and 
sure  remedy  I  have  ever  found,  is  to  proceed  imme- 
diately and  close  up  every  hive,  both  weak  and  strong, 
in  the  apiary  (being  always  careful  to  ventilate  prop- 
erly); keep  them  thus  until  near  sunset,  then  open 
all  at  once,  when  all  that  are  outside  will  return 
into  the  hive.  Then  close  them  up  again,  either 
about  dark  or  early  next  morning  before  any  goes 
abroad ;  keep  them  closed  until  evening,  and  again 
open  them.  This  course  will  completely  nonplus 
the  robbers.  If  those  principally  engaged  in  it  are 
stocks  in  the  apiary,  shutting  them  up  thus  discomfits 
them  completely  for  the  time  being ;  and  should  they 
be  from  a  neighboring  apiary,  they  will  soon  get  dis- 
couraged, when  they  find  all  doors  closed  against 
them,  and  give  it  up.  But  in  any  case  they  are  likely 
to  renew  their  attack  at  some  future  time. 

Our  hives  are  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  close  up 
to  prevent  robbing,  being  thoroughly  ventilated  from 
the  graduated  air  chamber  below.     The  front  slide 


UNITING   SWARMS.  266 

and  tin  caps  are  so  couvenieutly  arranged  as  to  be 
closed  or  opened  in  a  few  moments,  if  necessary.  A 
large  number  of  stocks  can  thus  be  closed  up  in  a 
short  time. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

UNITING    SAVARMS. 
UNITING   WEAK    STOCKS   IN    THE    FALL. 

All  small  or  weak  swarms,  in  autumn,  that  may 
be  in  movable  comb  hives,  should  be  united,  putting 
two  or  more  together,  sufficient  at  least  to  form  a 
strong  colony,  and  have  an  abundance  of  honey  to 
keep  them  over  winter.  Proceed  as  follows,  in  the 
evening  is  the  best  time :  Open  the  hives,  blow  smoke 
freely  into  each  of  them,  which  serves  to  scent  all 
alike,  to  prevent  fighting,  as  well  as  to  render  them 
docile  whilst  operating  upon ;  then  proceed  to  put 
the  combs,  bees  and  all,  into  one  hive,  by  lifting  out 
the  combs  with  the  bees  adhering  to  them,  setting 
aside  such  as  contain  the  least  honey.  Should  the 
combs  be  new,  and  the  frames  but  partially  filled,  it 
is  well  to  exchange  some  of  them  for  frames  con- 
taining older  and  larger  combs,  from  some  strong 
colony  that  can  best  spare  them.  It  would  be  ad- 
visable to  take  but  one,  or  at  most  two  combs  from 
any  one  hive.  Bees  should  always  be  brushed  off 
these  combs  into  their  own  hive,  before  removing 
them.  When  the  operation  is  completed,  and  the 
23 


266  BEES   ANC    BEE-KEErtNG* 

union  thus  formed,  and  all  the  straggling  bees  col- 
lected into  one  hive,  shut  it  up,  ventilating  properly. 
Keep  it  thus  closed  until  sunset  the  next  day,  then 
open  it  and  again  shut  it  up  next  morning,  before 
they  begin  to  fly;  open  again  in  the  evening,  per- 
mitting them  to  fly.  Early  next  morning  blow  a 
little  smoke  into  the  hive,  or  rap  on  it;  by  this 
means  when  they  fly  out,  supposing  they  have  been 
removed,  they  will  be  careful  to  take  a  new  reckon- 
ing, and  all  return  to  the  hive;  othenvise  those 
moved  from  another  stand,  and  united  in  the  new 
stand,  will  return  and  be  lost. 

TO   UNITE    SWARMS   IN    BOX    HIVES. 

It  is  more  diflicult  to  unite  weak  stocks  that  are 
in  box  hives,  yet  it  can  be  done  as  follows:  Blow 
smoke  freely  into  each  stock  you  wish  to  operate 
upon;  invert  both  hives;  with  a  thin-bladed  knife 
cut  the  points  of  the  combs  square,  in  the  hive  that 
has  the  straightest  combs ;  pry  off  the  side  of  the 
other  hive  with  a  chisel  or  hatchet;  now  cut  the 
fastenings  of  the  combs  at  the  sides  and  top,  set 
these  in  crosswise  of  those  already  in  the  hive,  first, 
however,  boring  two  holes  in  each  side  of  the  hive 
f  ths  of  an  inch ;  provide  two  sticks  to  tit,  point  them 
nicely,  and  push  them  through  each  comb  from  the 
one  side  as  they  are  put  in,  until  all  are  in — these 
sticks  penetrate  the  holes  on  the  opposite  side. 
Take  lumps  of  wax,  or  pieces  of  combs,  and  put 
between  the  combs,  bridging  them  clear  across  to 
keep   them    the    proper   distance   apart.     The   bees 


UNITING    SWARMS.  2(37 

should  be'*all  put  in  just  as  they  adhere  to  the  combs. 
Now  close  the  hive  by  tacking  a  thin  cloth  over  it, 
and  let  it  stand  inverted  in  a  shop  or  other  conve- 
nient place,  for  three  or  four  days,  or  until  the  beea 
have  time  to  attach  these  combs  firmly,  when  they 
can  be  set  out  again. 

I  prefer  to  perform  all  these  operations  at  night  in 
the  shop ;  then  all  the  straggling  bees  will  collect  in. 
the  hive,  when  they  can  be  closed  up  early  in  the 
morning. 


WINTER. 
CHAPTER  XXIII. 

WINTERING    BEES. 
PROTECTION. 

This  is  a  part  of  my  subject  which  leads  directly 
upon  controverted  ground.  Nothing,  perhaps,  has 
given  rise  to  a  wider  range  of  opinions  and  theories 
than  wintering  bees  in  cold  latitudes.  To  get  a  cor- 
rect knowledge  of  the  nature  of  bees,  and  to  fully 
comprehend  their  wants  and  requirements,  divests 
the  subject  of  much  of  that  mystery  and  darkness 
that  has  long  enveloped  the  wintering  of  bees.  I 
have  not  time  at  present  to  dwell  at  length  on  this 
subject,  and  therefore  will  confine  m3'self  principally 
to  the  mode  of  wintering  bees  that  has  proved  the 
most  successful  and  satisfactory  with  us,  and  which 
appears  to  be  the  most  in  accordance  with  the  nat- 
ural habits  of  the  bee,  and  which  I  can  recommend 
for  general  practice  by  all  classes  of  bee-keepers, 
embracing  every  degree  of  latitude,  from  the  warmest 
to  the  coldest. 

There  are  really  but  two  modes  of  wintering  bees 
in  cold  latitudes  that  are  worthy  of  any  notice;  the 
first  of  these  is  (and  I  believe  the  most  natural)  win- 
tering them  in  the  open  air,  being  properly  protected. 
The  second,  is  to  winter  them  in  close,  dark  rooms. 
•^  (208) 


WINTERING    BEES.  269 

Each  of  these  plans  has  its  advocates,  its  advantages 
and  disadvantages. 

My  object  has  been  to  ascertain  the  best  practical 
method  of  wintering  bees ;  one  best  calculated  to 
suit  the  circumstances  of  the  greatest  number  of 
bee-keepers.  I  have  tried  all  the  diiFerent  plans  sug- 
gested that  gave  promise  of  success,  and  have  found 
the  most  uniform  success  in  M'intering  our  bees  in 
the  open  air,  having  them  properl}"  protected  from 
wind  and  snow,  lining  the  sides  and  tops  of  the  hives 
with  straw  mats  (removing  a  comb  from  each  side  in 
movable  comb  hives),  and  ventilating  properly  to 
promote  the  escape  of  vapor  and  moisture.  By  this 
arrangement  we  combine  all  the  advantages  possessed 
by  the  straw  hive  (and  all  apiarians  agree  that  they 
are  a  superior  kind  of  hives  for  wintering  bees  in,) 
with  the  wooden  hives,  which  are  more  easily  con- 
structed. 

In  the  first  place,  our  hives  are  constructed  so  that 
of  themselves  they  afford  the  bees  a  very  considerable 
degree  of  protection  from  the  effects  of  winds  and 
snows  in  winter.  The  bottom  board  is  an  inclined 
plane,  and  stationary,  the  openings  being  condensed 
for  wintering,  having  no  openings  on  the  back  part  of 
the  hive,  and  consequently  no  current  of  wind  passing 
through  or  under  the  hive,  as  is  the  case  where  hives 
are  open  and  raised  up  from  the  bench,  giving  the 
wind  a  clear  sweep  between  it  and  the  stool,  and 
often  drifting  the  snow  up  between  the  combs  and 
constantly  carrying  off  the  heat  generated  by  the 
bees.  Our  hives  are  so  constructed,  that  a  current  of 
23* 


270  hYAZS    AND    BEK-KEEPING, 

fresh  air  is  constantly  passing  from  the  graUnating  air 
chamber  below,  to  supply  the  bees.  The  wind  can 
be  entirely  cxckulecl  from  penetrating  in  front  when 
desired.  Thus  much  for  protection  afforded  by  the 
hive  itself. 

In  addition  to  this,  we  surround  our  apiary  with  a 
close  board  fence  about  seven  feet  higli,  making  a 
very  effectual  breakwind,  shielding  the  bees  very 
much  from  the  fierce  blasts  and  driving  storms  of 
winter.  Whilst  the  cold  winds  are  roaring  around 
and  above  the  apiary,  the  air  is  comparatively  calm 
down  near  the  bees,  and  consequently  the  effects  of 
the  cold  are  very  materially  lessened.  This  break- 
wind  is  of  great  value  in  the  spring  and  early  part  of 
the  summer,  as  well  as  winter.  In  cool,  windy  days 
bees  will  return  home  heavy  laden,  being  somewhat 
chilled  by  the  cold,  and  in  their  descent  to  the  hive 
drop  down  on  the  ground,  where  they  would  prob- 
ably perish  if  the  cold  wind  continued  to  reach 
them ;  but  when  protected  from  it,  especially  when 
the  sun  is  sliining,  they  will  recover  and  take  wing 
again,  if  too  far  to  crawl,  and  still  reach  home  in 
safety. 

Where  but  few  bees  are  kept,  they  should  be  thus 
protected  by  an  inclosure  of  proportionate  size  ;  but 
where  it  cannot  be  done  conveniently,  take  long 
straw,  inclose  the  top  end  tightly  in  a  band,  forming 
a  cap  or  hudder,  and  set  it  over  the  hive.  It  should 
be  two  or  three  inches  thick,  and  project  below  the 
bench  or  stool,  and  be  firmly  bound  to  the  hive  by 
passing  one  or  more  bands  around,  enveloping  the 


WINTERINa    BEES.  ll71 

straw.  The  straw,  for  the  space  of  five  or  six  inches, 
should  be  cut  off'  with  a  sharp  k,uife,  a  little  above 
the  front  entrance,  leaving  the  bees  a  clear  open  pas- 
sage. This  cap  of  straw  should  be  put  on,  on  the 
approach  of  cold  weather  in  the  fall,  and  may  be 
permitted  to  remain  until  the  opening  of  spring.  It 
forms  no  obstruction  to  the  free  ingress  and  egress 
of  the  bees  during  warm  days  in  winter  and  early 
spring.  K  properly  ventilated,  and  the  mice  keep 
out,  bees  will  winter  safely  in  this  way.  It  is  but 
little  trouble,  and  suits  careless  bee-keepers  very  well. 

But  the  great  difficulty  has  been,  in  wintering  bees 
in  the  open  air  in  all  kinds  of  hives  made  of  wood, 
to  get  rid  of  the  moisture  generated  in  the  hive 
by  the  breath  of  the  bees,  which  condenses  on  the 
sides  and  top  of  the  hive  in  very  cold  weather,  ac- 
cumulating, at  times,  until  the  bees  are  completely 
enveloped  in  a  sheet  of  frost  and  ice  to  the  thickness 
of  over  half  an  inch.  This  frost  and  ice  will  melt 
the  first  warm  day,  and  trickle  down  over  the  bees, 
where  they  are  clustered  on  or  between  the  combs, 
wetting  them ;  and  frequently  the  weather  will 
suddenly  change  and  freeze  very  hard  the  following 
night.  Under  such  circumstances  I  have  seen  colo- 
nies frequently  frozen  to  death,  Avhich,  if  they  had 
been  perfectly  dry,  would  have  survived  the  winter 
without  any  difficulty. 

Then  again,  if  hard  freezing  w^eather  continues  for 
several  weeks  without  intermission,  which  frequently 
occurs  in  this  latitude,  this  moisture  will  be  con- 
stantly thrown  off"  by  the  bees,  filling  the  pores  of 


272  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

the  wood  and  every  thing  in  the  hive  tliat  will  absorb 
it,  until  completely-  saturated  (when  condensed  form- 
ing the  envelope  of  frost  and  ice  already  described), 
and  the  atmosphere  becomes  humid  and  incapable 
of  taking  up  any  more,  and  it  gradually  settles 
around  the  bees.  Being  thus  unable  to  throw  off" 
this  moisture,  their  bodies  become  distended  with 
faeces,  causing  many  to  leave  the  cluster  and  crawl 
toward  the  entrance  to  void  their  tilth,  when  they 
become  chilled  and  are  unable  to  return  again,  and 
thus  miserably  perish.  Thousands  are  lost  in  this 
way,  and  those  that  survive  until  the  weather  mod- 
erates, and  enables  them  to  fly  out,  are  found  to  be 
in  a  very  unhealthy  condition ;  unable  to  fly  any 
distance,  dropping  on  the  ground  or  on  any  object 
around,  seemingly  unable  to  void  their  faeces.  Vast 
quantities  perish  thus,  being  unable  to  return  to  the 
hive.  I  have  seen  manj'  colonies  thus  depopulated. 
The  healthy  bees  that  would  remain  being  too  few  in 
number  to  maintain  sufiicient  heat  to  mature  brood, 
although  the  queen  was  apparentlj'  all  right,  the 
number  would  gradually  decrease,  and  finally,  queen 
and  all,  die.  Bees  from  other  hives  would  discover 
its  defenseless  condition,  and  carry  ofi"  the  honey, 
some  warm  day,  if  not  removed  or  closed  up.  I  have 
frequently  seen  hives  lost  in  this  manner.  I  exam- 
ined several  during  the  last  year,  and  found  the 
queen  and  a  dozen  or  two  workers  only  remaining, 
with  honey  and  pollen  in  abundance.  Many  hives 
of  bees  are  lost  annually  all  over  the  country,  the 
true  cause  of  which   is   not  even   suspected  by  the 


WINTERING   BEES.  273 

owner ;  and  in  many  cases  the  loss  is  not  observed 
until  bees  from  other  hives  are  carrying  out  the 
honey.  Then  it  is  supposed  to  have  been  attacked 
and  robbed  by  them. 

This  difficulty  is  not  peculiar  to  any  one  form  of 
liives  (most  fatal  in  broad  tiat  hives),  but  is  common 
to  all  hives  composed  of  wood,  unless  the  proper 
remedy  is  applied  to  absorb  and  carry  oft'  this  mois- 
ture. It  never  occurs  in  straw  hives,  from  the  fact 
that  the  straw  of  which  the  hive  is  composed  absorbs 
all  the  moisture  from  the  bees  as  fast  as  it  is  gen- 
erated, and  passes  it  oft"  to  the  surrounding  atmos- 
phere, thereby  freeing  the  bees  from  its  injurious 
eft'ects. 

THE    INVENTION    OF    WINTER    MATS. 

Being  well  aware  of  the  superiority  of  straw  hives 
over  wooden  ones  for  wintering  bees  in,  and  the 
difficulty  of  constructing  them  in  a  neat  and  practi- 
cal shape  being  much  greater  than  wood,  I  resolved 
to  apply  straw  in  the  form  of  mats  inside  the  mov- 
able comb  hives,  to  act  as  an  absorbent  to  take  up  and 
carry  off  the  moisture,  and  thus  combine  the  superior 
qualities  of  the  straw  hives  for  wintering  bees  with 
the  more  conveniently  constructed  and  substantial 
hives  made  of  wood. 

With  this  object  in  view,  I  set  to  work  to  invent 
some  plan  to  construct  straw  mats  in  a  cheap  and 
simple  form,  combining  neatness  and  durability,  and 
in  such  manner  as  to  be  easily  adjusted  to  any  style 
of  movable  comb  hive.  In  this  I  have  succeeded,  at 
least  to  my  own  satisfaction,  in  the  following  manner: 


274  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

I  get  out  for  each  mat  two  strips  of  soft  wood,  one- 
half  inch  wide,  fths  thick,  the  length  to  suit  the 
depth  of  the  mat  required ;  two  strips  of  leather, 
duck,  drilling,  or  any  strong  cloth,  one-half  or  one 
inch,  and  double  it.  Take  clean,  straight  straw  of 
any  kind  most  convenient  (either  rj'e  or  wheat  is 
best),  cut  it  in  lengths  to  suit  the  width  of  the  hive ; 
ours  is  thirteen  inches  inside.  Lay  down  the  strips 
of  wood  (on  iron,  bars,  if  possible,)  about  nine  inches 
apart.  Place  your  straw  across  them  to  the  depth  of 
one  and  a  half  or  two  inches,  and  put  the  strips  of 
leather  or  cloth  immediately  above  the  strips  of 
wood;  tack  them  through  the  wood  with  six  ounce 
tacks,  very  near  the  ends.  Draw  the  strips  tight  and 
tack  them  in  the  same  manner  near  the  other  end. 
Be  careful  to  adjust  the  straw  square  across  the 
strips,  and  of  an  equal  thickness  from  one  end  to  the 
other.  Take  twenty  ounce  tacks,  drive  one  through 
the  centre  of  each  strip,  clinching  on  the  iron  under- 
neath the  strip  of  wood.  Divide  the  spaces  again 
about  in  the  centres,  and  tack  through,  clinching 
every  time  until  there  is  a  tack  to  about  every  one 
and  a  fourth  inches  in  each  strip.  Cut  the  ends  of 
the  straw  square  with  large  shears,  or  with  a  hatchet 
on  a  block ;  trim  off  any  loose  straws.  In  this  way 
you  can  make  a  mat  almost  as  stiff"  as  a  board,  and 
one  that  will  stand  almost  any  amount  of  knocking 
about;  being  so  firm  they  are  not  objectionable  to 
the  bees.  I  prefer  this  mode  of  making  mats,  but 
there  are  other  ways  quite  as  convenient. 


WINTERING  BBESi  275 

Another  method  of  making  straw  mats. 

1  sometimea  made  them  in  the  following  manner, 
which  is  also  very  simple,  and  answers  the  purpose 
very  well  2  Take  four  strips  of  wood,  the  length  to 
suit  the  depth  of  the  mat;  they  may  either  be  round 
or  have  the  corners  rounded  off,  and  about  fths 
diameter.  Prepare  straw  same  as  in  the  first  in- 
stance. Place  two  of  these  strips  about  nine  or  ten 
inches  apart;  across  these  put  straw  about  two  inches 
deep,  on  top  of  which  place  the  other  strips  imme- 
diately above  the  first.  Bind  the  ends  of  these 
together  with  twine,  to  hold  all  the  parts  to  their 
places.  Now  take  a  collar  needle  and  twine,  and 
sew  it  through,  passing  the  twine  each  time  around 
these  strips,  binding  them  as  firmly  together  as  pos- 
sible, thus  making  a  very  nice  mat. 

The  strips  of  wood  may  be  dispensed  with  entirely, 
and  simply  pass  the  twine  around  and  sew  through 
the  straw,  passing  the  twine  each  time  over  the  one 
in  the  opposite  direction.  In  this  way  very  nice 
mats  can  be  made.  Other  plans  may  be  adopted  for 
making  them.  The  point  I  claim  is  applying  mats 
of  straw  inside  the  hive  to  absorb  moisture.  They 
should  be  made  about  from  one  to  one  and  a  half 
inches  thick,  just  right  to  fill  the  spaces  of  the  combs 
that  were  removed. 

3I0DE   OP   APPLYING   THEM. 

On  the  approach  of  winter,  take  the  frames  or  combs 
next  to  the  sides  of  the  hive  out,  and  put  a  mat  in 
the  place  they  occupied.     If  a  sash  with   glass  is 


276 


BEES   ANb    BEE-KEEPINd.' 


The  above  engraving  illustrates  tbo  mode  of  arranging  the  straw  mats  in 
tbe  hive  for  wintering  bees.  Nos.  1,  2,  3  and  4  are  winter  mats.  No.  1 
shows  the  strips  of  leather  on  the  one  side,  through  which  the  tacks  are 
driven,  the  heads  of  which  are  shown.  No,  2  show^5  the  strips  of  wood  on 
the  upper  side  of  the  mat  through  which  the  tack  is  driven  and  clenched. 

To  arrange  these  mats,  on  the  approach  of  winter,  remove  a  comb  or  frame 
from  each  side  of  the  hive,  and  in  their  place  insert  a  mat,  as  shown  hy 
figures  3  and  4.  Remove  the  honey -board  from  the  top  of  the  frames,  and 
put  a  mat  in  its  place,  as  seen  in  figure  2.  Remove  the  glass  from  the  rear 
of  the  frame,  and  insert  a  mat,  as  represented  by  figure  1,  which  will,  when 


Wintering  bees.  277 

properly  aJjusted,  cover  the  entire  space  from  figure  3  to  figure  4,  thus  in- 
closing the  whole  colony  with  these  mats. 

The  combs  which  are  thus  removed,  together  with  the  glass  and  houey- 
board,  should  be  carefully  preserved)  to  be  returned  to  their  appropriate 
places  on  the  opening  of  spring.  The  door  and  lid  oi"  the  hive  should  now  be 
closed,  leaving  the  hole  near  the  toji  of  the  door  open  for  the  vapor  and  foul 
air  to  pass  off,  thus  forming  a  current  of  air  (constantly  during  winter),  pass- 
ing in  at  the  entrance  and  from  the  graduated  air  chamber  and  up  through 
the  hive,  carrying  off  all  moisture  which  is  absorbed  by  the  mats  as  fast  as 
generated  by  the  bees,  and  entirely  removing  the  difiiculty  that  has  hith- 
erto existed  in  wintering  bees  in  the  open  air. 

Used,  as  in  our  hive,  remove  it  and  put  a  mat  iu  its 
place.  Remove  the  honey-board  and  place  a  mat  on 
top  of  the  frames,  immediately  over  the  bees,  thus 
surrounding  them  with  winter  mats  on  three  sides 
and  over  the  top.  If  the  hive  is  provided  with  about 
two  hich  holes  above  this  top  mat,  all  the  moisture 
generated  by  the  bees  will  be  taken  up  by  the  mats 
and  passed  off  in  the  form  of  vapor,  keeping  the  hive 
and  bees  perfectly  dry,  as  well  as  affording  much 
greater  warmth  to  the  bees. 

Combs  thus  removed  to  give  place  to  the  mats, 
should  be  placed  carefully  in  a  honey-room  or  in  a 
suitable  box ;  and  in  the  spring  remove  the  mats  and 
return  the  combs  to  the  hives.  In  spring  the  mats 
should  be  strung  on  twine,  and  hung  up  in  some  dry, 
clean  room,  where  they  will  be  kept  free  from  dust 
and  filth.  With  proper  care  they  will  last  for  many 
years. 

A  short  time  ago  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Quinby,  to  ascer- 
tain his  views  respecting  the  efficiency  and  value  of 
these  winter  mats.     I  give  his  reply  verbatim  : 
24 


S78  SEES   AND   BEE-kEEPl^a. 

St.  Johnsville,  N.  Y.,  February,  1860. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Harbison  :  Dear  Sir — Yours  of  Jan 
Uary  27th  is  at  hand.  For  winteruig  bees  out-doors, 
I  thiuk  your  straw  mats  must  be  valuable.  Although 
I  never  tried  them,  I  can  easily  comprehend  some  of 
their  advantages.  When  bees  are  wintered  in  the 
open  air,  the  moisture  generated  by  them  forming 
frost,  ice,  &c.  is  the  cause  of  much  mischief,  when 
the  air  passages  are  closed,  or  nearly  so.  When  the 
hive  is  properly  ventilated  to  get  rid  of  this  moisture, 
so  much  of  the  animal  heat  escapes  with  it,  that 
the  bees  suffer  with  cold,  and  many  small  colonies 
actually  freeze  to  death.  Now  it  appears  to  me,  that 
by  surrounding  the  combs  with  straw  mats  so  much 
of  the  moisture  will  be  absorbed  as  to  be  in  no  dan- 
ger of  checking  the  air  passages  with  frost,  conse- 
quently less  ventilation  will  be  necessary,  and  the 
bees  will  be  warmer  on  this  account,  as  well  as  the 
warmth  afforded  by  the  mats  otherwise. 

I  winter  my  bees  in  the  house  usually ;  but  should 
I  have  occasion  to  leave  some  out,  I  shall  certainly 
want  to  try  them. 

M.  QUINBY. 
PATENT  AVPLIEB  FOR  FOR  THE  INVENTION  OF  WINTER  MATS. 

So  important  and  so  valuable  has  the  invention 
and  application  of  these  winter  mats  proved,  now 
that  movable  comb  hives  of  various  kinds  arc  being 
generally  adopted  by  bee-keepers,  that  I  have  applied 
to  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  for  letters  patent 
securing  to  me  the  benefits  of  the  invention.     TIiogo 


WINTERING    BEES.  279 

wiuter  mats  are  equally  applicable  to  any  kind  or 
style  of  movable  comb  or  leaf  bee  hives ;  or  in 
common  chamber  or  box  hives,  a  mat  may  be  put  in 
the  chamber  with  great  advantage,  simply  removing 
the  honey  boxes  and  leaving  the  holes  open  imme- 
diately above  the  bees.  A  very  considerable  amount 
of  moisture  will  be  thus  absorbed,  which  would  pass 
up  through  the  openings,  particularly  if  large. 

HOW    BEES    AVINTER   WHEN    LEFT   TO   THEMSELVES, 

A  warm  climate  seems  to  be  the  natural  place  for 
bees,  yet  like  many  other  kinds  of  domestic  stock, 
they  will  live  and  thrive  in  almost  any  climate  where 
flowers  abound  to  produce  honey  and  pollen,  and 
there  is  sufficient  warm  weather  to  permit  them  to 
lay  up  supplies  for  winter  use,  providing  they  are 
properly  protected  from  the  rains  and  storms,  to- 
gether with  incidental  protection  from  extreme  cold. 

Bees  in  this  climate,  when  left  to  themselves  to 
seek  a  location,  usually  select  a  cavity  or  hollow  in 
the  trunk  or  limb  of  a  tree  in  the  forest,  which  is 
generally  oblong  in  shape ;  here  they  build  their 
combs,  having  a  much  greater  depth  than  width. 
When  the  bees  clustet  for  winter,  they  will  assume  a 
neat  compact  shape,  commencing  at  the  bottom  of 
the  combs  and  extending  upward  to  a  height  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  colony.  Thus  clustered 
they  are  similar  to  a  sugar  loaf,  with  the  large  end 
up.  This  form  secures  the  greatest  economy  of  ani- 
mal heat,  w^hich,  by  a  law  of  nature,  always  ascends, 
and  serves  to  warm  the  combs  and  honey  a  little 


280  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPINQ. 

above  and  in  advance  of  the  bees,  who  invariably 
cluster  on  the  approach  of  winter  upon  the  empty 
portion  of  the  combs  at  the  bottom,  the  upper  end 
of  the  cluster  overlapping  that  part  filled  with  honey, 
thus  keeping  a  sufficient  amount  for  immediate  use 
always  warm,  from  which  they  draw  their  daily  sup- 
port during  the  continuance  of  cold  weather,  and  as 
the  honey  is  consumed,  necessity  requires  the  bees  to 
ascend  higher  and  higher  to  keep  near  their  supplies. 
Hhould  the  depth  of  comb  immediately  above  them 
be  sufficient  to  aiibrd  this,  they  will  winter  finely; 
but  if  they  should  reach  the  top  during  very  cold 
weather,  although  there  may  be  plenty  of  honey  in 
other  parts  of  the  hive,  they  will  starve  to  death.  If 
they  leave  the  cluster  to  pass  over  or  around  inter- 
vening combs,  they  get  chilled,  and  will  never  re- 
turn.    I  have  seen  many  such  cases. 

But  perhaps  some  one  is  ready  to  ask.  How  do  you 
know  bees  are  thus  found  in  hollow  trees?  it  would 
be  difficult  to  climb  up  and  look  in.  To  this  I 
would  say,  I  have  examined  several  that  were  cut 
and  lowered  down  by  ropes  and  taken  to  the  apiary, 
and  kept  there  for  years  and  finally  dissected,  and 
the  bees  transferred  to  a  hive.  I  have  seen  a  great 
many  bee  trees  dissected  after  felling  them  with  the 
axe.  I  have  also  examined  quite  a  number  of  gums 
or  hives  made  by  sawing  off"  a  section  of  a  hollow 
gum  tree  when  filled  with  bees  and  combs,  the 
diameter  of  which  was  quite  small  in  proportion  to 
the  length,  thereby  following  nature  as  closely  as 
possible.     I  have  made  these  observations  at  all  sea- 


WINTERING    BEES.  281 

sons  of  tlie  year,  and  have  found  the  facts  as  stated. 
Hence,  I  conclude  that  the  fact  of  bees  selectino- and 
occupying  such  cavities,  is  strong  evidence  that  they 
are  better  suited  to  their  natural  habits  and  better 
adapted  to  the  wants  peculiar  to  a  cold  climate.  In 
short,  in  this  condition  and  shape  they  are  nearer  a 
state  of  nature  than  any  other. 

BEST   SHAPED    HIVES    FOR   WINTERING    BEES    IN. 

I  have  found  in  managing  bees,  as  in  most  other 
things,  the  closer  we  adhere  to  the  known  rules  and 
laws  of  nature  the  better  success  will  attend  our  ef- 
forts; hence,  I  have  striven  to  keep  this  in  view  in 
practice  as  well  as  theory. 

Taking  it  for  granted  that  bees  themselves  under- 
stand best  the  shape  of  the  cavity  adapted  to  winter 
in,  in  a  cold  climate,  and  in  pursuance  of  which  they 
make  such  selections  as  have  been  described,  it 
should  admonish  us  to  construct  all  hives  intended 
for  wintering  in  the  open  air,  of  an  oblong  shape, 
giving  the  bees  a  good  depth  of  comb,  to  enable 
them  to  pass  safely  through  the  extreme  and  often 
long  continued  inclement  weather,  without  danger 
of  starving  amidst  plenty.  Having  a  good  depth  of 
comb  also  very  much  facilitates  breeding  in  the  early 
spring,  as  the  animal  heat  is  better  economized  than 
in  any  other  shape.  Broad,  flat  hives  are  very  ob- 
jectionable, both  for  wintering  bees  in  and  for  rearing 
brood,  as  the  bees  frequently  consume  all  the  honey 
immediately  above  them  during  a  cold  spell,  and 
perish,  being  unable  to  reach  any  other  part  of  the 
24* 


282  BEES    AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

hive.  There  are  but  two  points  gained  in  the  broad 
flat  hives,  that  I  ever  could  discover:  the  first,  is  a 
greater  surface  to  put  honey  boxes  in  to  obtain  the 
surphis  honey ;  the  second,  they  are  not  so  apt  to  be 
blown  over  by  high  winds. 

To  the  first  of  these  I  would  say,  bees  will  store 
just  as  much  honey  in  a  hive  thirteen  inches  square 
as  they  will  in  a  hive  twice  that  size.  This  can  easily 
be  tested.  To  the  second  point  I  reply,  that  all  those 
who  merit  success  in  bee-keeping  will  so  protect  their 
bees  as  to  suffer  no  inconvenience  from  using  oblong 
hives.  But  the  advantages  derived  from  such  hives 
in  wintering  bees  in  the  open  air,  exceeds  tenfold 
their  disadvantages. 

Broad  flat  hives  are  perhaps  better  adapted  to  win- 
tering bees  in,  when  kept  in  warm,  dark  rooms;  and 
they  are  more  convenient  for  storing  away  on  shelves. 
When  thus  kept  during  winter,  the  shape  of  the  hive 
is  of  less  importance,  so  far  as  wintering  is  concerned. 

WINTERING   BEES   IN    DARK   ROOMS. 

I  can  say  but  little  about  this  mode  of  wintering 
bees.  That  they  can  be  thus  kept  through  the  winter 
does  not  admit  of  a  doubt,  and  that  they  are  thus 
kept  by  some  apiarians,  is  equally  true ;  but  that  it 
is  the  best  plan  for  the  majority  of  bee-keepers  to 
adopt,  permit  me  at  present  to  doubt. 

To  winter  them  successfully  in  a  room,  requires  a 
degree  of  care  and  watchfulness  that  but  few  are 
willing  to  give  them,  in  order  to  keep  all  right  during 
the  sudden  changes  of  weather  to  which  our  climate 


PROFITS    OP    BEE-KEEPINa.  283 

is  subject.  There  are  but  few  bee-keepers  who  have 
suitable  rooms  in  which  to  winter  their  bees;  and 
where  but  few  are  kept,  it  is  more  difficult  to  pre- 
serve them  in  this  manner  than  if  there  is  a  sufficient 
quantity  to  keep  the  room  warm.  It  is  just  as  natu- 
ral for  bees  to  want  their  liberty,  and  fly  out  on  warm 
days,  as  it  is  for  sparks  to  fly  upward ;  hence,  I  con- 
clude that  to  confine  them  is  contrary  to  their  nature, 
and  consequently  injurious  to  their  future  health  and 
prosperity. 

I  have  thus  wintered  bees,  and  on  setting  them  out 
in  spring  found  their  condition  similar  to  those  we 
shipped  to  California,  on  opening  them  out  after 
landing. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

PROFITS  OF  BEE-KEEPING. 

This,  after  all,  is  the  great  point  at  issue.  Many 
persons  would  become  bee-keepers,  if  they  knew  it 
would  be  very  profitable. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  correctly  what  profit  may 
be  derived  from  average  stocks  of  bees  per  annum. 
The  usual  price  per  hive  here,  is  about  nine  or  ten 
dollars,  in  good  hives.  The  average  product  from 
each  good  stock  per  year,  if  managed  in  the  manner 
I  have  suggested  in  this  treatise,  in  swarms  and 
honey,  should  be  about  equal  to  the  first  cost  of  the 
stocks.     From  this  should  be  deducted  the  price  of 


284  BEES   AND    BEE-KEEPING. 

whatever  feed  they  may  get,  hives,  &c.  for  swarms. 
Very  much,  however,  depends  on  the  season  and 
yield  of  honey,  and  also  upon  the  fact  of  feeding 
them  early  in  the  season. 

In  California,  a  good  hive  of  bees  will  cost  one 
hundred  dollars ;  and  if  fed  and  skillfully  managed, 
can  be  increased  to  ten  in  one  year,  at  a  cost  of  per- 
haps one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  hives  and  feed; 
which  in  turn  can  be  sold  for  one  hundred  dollars 
each,  yielding,  say  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  on 
the  investment,  less  time  and  labor.  If  permitted 
to  make  honey  and  swarm  naturally,  it  will  perhaps 
cast  off  from  two  to  four  swarms,  and  make  at  least 
one  hundred  pounds  of  surplus  honey,  which  will 
still  be  a  nice  profit.  Such  profits  are  too  enormous 
to  continue  long,  yet  the  rearing  of  bees  will  pay 
for  years  to  come. 

In  short,  bee-keeping,  with  the  requisite  know- 
ledge, can  be  made  very  profitable,  almost  any  place 
in  the  United  States. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

HONEY    BEE    IN   CHINA. 

Sacramento,  Cal.  June  15,  1859. 

W.  C.  Harbison,  Esq :  Bear  Sir — At  your  request, 
I  have  much  pleasure  in  sending  you  a  few  items  in 
reference  to  the  honey  bee  in  China.  I  onh'  regret 
that  my  information  on  the  subject  is  so  meagre, 
for,  although  I  resided  in  different  parts  of  China  for 


HONEY   BEE    IN   CHINA.  285 

eighteen  or  twenty  years,  my  attention  was  never 
very  specially  drawn  to  this  matter.  I  have  seen  the 
bees  there  at  work,  and  have  been  acquainted  with 
natives  who  owned  them,  and  I  have  often  there 
purchased  honey  for  family  use. 

The  honey  bee  has  long  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  Chinese  people,  and  Chinese  authors  have  written 
of  its  nature  and  habits,  while  the  most  of  these 
writers  have  evidently  never  closely  studied  the  pecu- 
liarities of  this  wonderful  little  insect. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  empire  is  a  splendid 
range  of  mountains,  called  by  the  natives  Meiling,  the 
Flowery  Mountains,  because  of  the  exuberance  of 
wild  flowers  every  where  to  be  found.  Here  the 
honey  bee  finds  delicious  pasturage  and  flourishes  in 
abundance.  The  people  along  the  southern  base  of 
the  Meiling  are  in  the  habit  of  collecting  the  young 
bees  in  the  cells  before  their  heads  and  legs  are  per- 
fect, and  frying  them  with  oil,  enjoy  them  as  a  great 
luxury  of  the  table.  The  young  silk  worm  they 
prepare  and  eat  in  like  manner. 

The  Chinese  writers  say  there  are  three  kinds  of 
bees,  but  I  have  no  doubt  they  draw^  more  largely 
on  their  imagination  than  on  facts  for  the  differences 
which  they  detail.  They  say  the  first  kind  is  the 
wild  bee,  which  builds  and  works  in  forest  trees  and 
in  underground  caverns ;  the  second  kind  is  the 
house  bee,  which  is  domesticated  in  hives,  making 
delicious  honey,  and  is  small  and  yellowish ;  the 
third  kind  makes  its  nest  among  high  crags  and 
rocky   places — it   makes   jvhat    is   called   the   rock 


286  BBES   AND   BEE-KEEPING. 

honey,  which  is  of  a  blackish  color,  the  bee  itself 
resembling  an  ox-fly.  You  can  form  your  own  es- 
timate of  these  descriptions. 

The  Chinese  are  fully  aware  that  the  bees  only 
live  in  swarms,  and  they  say  that  they  go  out  of  the 
hive  twice  a  day,  similar  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
tide.  They  say  the  females  have  forked  tails,  but  the 
males  have  not,  and  that  whenever  a  bee  gathers 
honey,  it  enwraps  the  "flower  with  its  thighs.  The 
Chinese  are  aware  that  each  swarm  is  governed  by 
one  royal  head,  which  is  larger  than  the  others ;  but 
they  make  the  egregious  blunder  in  holding  that 
this  royal  head  is  a  king,  belonging  to  the  male 
gender,  instead  of  being  a  female,  a  queen. 

In  the  cold  regions  of  the  north  of  China,  the  hives 
are  said  to  be  protected  in  the  winter  by  putting 
them  into  holes  dug  in  the  ground,  and  the  bees  are 
sustained  by  introducing  quantities  of  prepared  syrup. 
There  is  one  particular  which  I  must  not  omit  to 
mention,  although  you  will  find  it,  like  myself,  hard 
to  believe,  but  it  seems  to  be  a  pretty  well  authenti- 
cated fact,  to  wit :  In  some  places  north,  when  they 
are  preparing  the  hives  ready  for  depositing  them  in 
the  ground,  for  the  winter,  there  is  introduced  into 
each  hive  a  whole  dried  chicken,  and  on  opening  the 
hives  in  the  spring,  nothing  is  found  but  the  cleanly 
picked  bones  of  the  fowl.  This  may  seem  incredible, 
because  feeding  on  dead  flesh  being  so  contrary  to 
the  supposed  habits  of  the  honey  bee;  but  you  will 
remember  that  in  the  instance  of  the  beautiful  riddle 
of  Samson,  a  swarm  of  bees  were  found  actively  at 


fiOls^Et   fiEE   IN    CitlNA.  28? 

Work  within   the    dead    carcass   of  the  lion  which 
Samson  by  his  strong  arm  had  slain. 

The  Chinese  require  immense  qnantities  of  wax, 
very  much  of  which  is  used  for  a  coating  to  the  vast 
numbers  of  candles  which  they  burn  in  their  temples. 
Tens  of  thousands  of  pounds  of  wax  are  imported 
annually  into  China  from  the  islands  of  Sumatra, 
Borneo,  Java,  &c.  The  bees  on  these  islands  are 
said  to  be  of  very  small  size^  make  very  little  honey^ 
and  are  only  hunted  for  their  wax* 

I  have  recently  met  with  a  Chinese  who  was  the 
owner  of  bees  in  the  south  of  China,  and  he  seems 
much  interested  in  the  matter.  He  says  that  he  did 
not  feed  his  bees ;  that  each  swarm  would,  on  an 
average,  produce  three  new  swarms  annually.  The 
price  of  a  strong  swarm  would  be  about  twent}'* 
five  dollars,  and  the  honey  about  thirteen  cents  a 
pound.  He  says  there  were  a  great  many  persons  in 
his  district  who  reared  bees,  and  all  generally  found 
the  business  quite  profitable. 

I  shall  not  fail  to  give  this  matter  still  more  atten- 
tion, and  you  may  hear  from  me  again.  Meantime, 
believe  me. 

Yours,  faithfully, 

J.  Lewis  Shuck. 


WHEREl  RIGHTS  MAY  BE  OBTAINED. 


For  Hives,  individual,  township,  county  or  State 
Rights,  for  Harbison's  Improved  Movable  Comb 
Bee  Hive,  apply  to  John  S.  Harbison,  Sacramento 
City,  California,  for  all  territory  on  the  Pacilic  coast. 

In  the  State  of  Iowa,  to  J.  H.  Dickey,  Bellevue, 
Jackson  county,  Iowa. 

In  the  States  of  Michigan,  Indiana  and  Kentucky, 
to  A.  F,  Moon,  Paw-Paw,  Van  Buren  county, 
Michigan. 

In  New  Jersey  or  adjoining  territory^  to  George 
Henry,  Hammonton,  Atlantic  count}-,  N.  J. 

In  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  to  O.  B.  Sparry,  Ash- 
tabula, Ohio. 

In  Butler  county,  Pa.  to  A.  B.  Tinker,  Butler,  Pa. 

In  Mercer,  Lawrence,  Beaver,  Allegheny,  Wash- 
ington, Westmoreland,  and  the  four  townships  in 
the  south-west  corner  of  Butler  county,  Pa.  and 
Columbiana  and  Jefferson  counties  in  Ohio,  and  the 
Pan-handle  of  Virginia,  to  A.  Stewart  &  Co.  New 
Brighton,  Beaver  county.  Pa. 

For  all  other  territory,  apply  to  W.  C.  Harbison, 
Chenango,  Lawrence  county,  Pa.  or  to  A.  Stewart, 
Fallston,  Beaver  county.  Pa. 


(288) 


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